Everything I Do, I Do It For You
by Genevieve Kelly
Summary: This story begins at the end of season three's finale, There's No Place Like Home. Killian confesses to Emma more than just how he traded his ship for her. It continues with my own version of season four's Frozen arc. Not only will Emma struggle with her feelings for Killian, but also against her own fear when she loses control of her powers because of the Snow Queen's influence.
1. Chapter 1

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter One

In Storybrooke…

Emma and Killian had fought for days trying to amend their mistakes upon falling through the Wicked Witch's time portal into the past once they unintentionally prevented Snow White and Prince Charming from meeting for the first time, as well as to get back to their own home and time. It wasn't easy, but at last the pirate captain had helped Emma to admit to herself that she had finally found a home where she truly belonged and with people she never wanted to leave again. Convinced her that she has a strength in her more powerful than anyone he's ever known. And in doing so, Emma's powers were restored which allowed for her to open up the portal again so they could return to where they belonged.

Killian lifted Marian's prone form in his arms and passed through first, then the Savior attempted to follow after him, until the past version of Rumplestiltskin nearly prevented her from escaping his prison had it not been for her being brave enough to break through to his humanity as she spoke to him about his son.

Once they were home again, Emma asked Killian to talk with Marian to try to explain to her where she was and why it was so important that they brought her back with them after they had stolen her away from her own time and her life in order to save it from the Evil Queen, as well as to keep her from changing the past any further simply by living longer than she was meant to live. In the meantime, the Savior ran off to Granny's Diner where she knew Henry and her parents were still waiting for her to come back without knowing of her and Killian's adventure so she could finally tell her mother and father how much she truly loved and missed them, never really having the courage to do so before.

 _When she realized some time later that Killian hadn't entered the diner behind Marian even though she'd been among the crowd for some time, Emma finally turned to look out the large window behind her and saw that Hook had taken a seat at one of the empty tables outside in the patio area instead of coming in to join her and their loved ones for her brother's naming ceremony and celebration once he finished speaking with the stranger to their town, and she knew she had one more thing she needed to do that evening before the celebration ended, so she walked out to join Killian as she took a seat across from him, then she spoke to him out of concern in regard to their effect on the past timeline saying, "So... do you think Rumplestiltskin is right? I'm in the book now. He said everything, besides our little adventure would go back to normal. Do you think that it is?"_

 _He chuckled while he put his flask down on the table in front of him and then he answered, "He's right. Otherwise I'd remember that damn bar wench I kissed."_

 _"_ _How would that prove anything?" she asked as she smiled because of his swagger._

 _"_ _I know how you kiss," Killian cheekily responded again as he smiled at her, even though he twirled the rings on his fingers, truthfully feeling uncomfortable for admitting such a truth to her. "I'd have gone after her. But I didn't. My life went on exactly the same as before."_

 _Emma teased him as she smugly replied, "Yeah, must have been the rum."_

 _Hook smiled once more, then continued somberly, "Everything's back to normal. You're a bloody hero, Swan."_

 _"_ _So are you," the Savior sincerely answered him upon noticing his humility about being there for her when she needed him to be, and tenderly rested her hand over his arm once Killian only chortled while he looked away from her again. "I wanted to thank you, Killian. For going back for me in the first place in New York. If you hadn't…"_

 _He quickly interrupted, "It was the right thing to do."_

 _Emma continued to notice something was off with him as though Killian was still hiding something out of shame or embarrassment and so in hope of getting him to open up to her, she asked softly, "How did you do it? How did you get to me?"_

 _"_ _Well, the curse was coming," the pirate Captain responded casually. "I ditched my crew and took the Jolly Roger as fast and as far as I possibly could to outrun it."_

 _"You outran a curse?" she asked out of disbelief._

 _She chuckled herself when Killian went on by saying, "I'm a hell of a Captain. And once I was outside of the curse's purview, I knew that the walls were down. Transport between the worlds was possible again. All I needed was a magic bean."_

 _Emma replied, "Those are not easy to come by."_

 _"They are if you've got something of value to trade," Hook answered while he lowered his head to look down at his hand._

 _"And what was that?" she asked him, having no idea that what he was about to tell her would make her see just how much he truly cared for her, and she for him._

 _Almost as if he was teasing her even though he truly spoke with sincerity, Killian then responded, "Why, the Jolly Roger, of course."_

 _The Savior looked for any signs of a lie within his eyes as they softened and then out of astonishment, she questioned, "You traded your ship for me?"_

 _"Aye," he uttered softly with a simple nod of his head and then Emma leaned into him to kiss him, deeply and passionately._

They continued to kiss for some time, until Killian was the first to pull back against his dire longing to continue to kiss her, not wishing to push the woman he had come to love too fast or too far. Emma was still grieving over Neal's death and it hadn't been more than a few days since he'd been killed because of Zelena and his own act of love which brought his father back to life. And Killian didn't want to be just the man she used to help herself feel better, despite a small part of him knowing that her kisses this time meant so much more to her too.

"Hey… are you alright?" Emma finally asked him when she began to sense how uncomfortable he suddenly became upon pulling away from her, especially when he looked down again to stare at the rings on his hand. "If you're worried about whether or not I wanted this… I did, Killian. Although, maybe now isn't the right time. There's a lot going on and my parents will most likely interrupt us soon if I don't get back inside. Please… come back inside with me. This celebration may be for my brother, whom my parents named Neal to honor… well to honor Neal, you know. But we're also celebrating our return from the past. I've already told my parents and Henry, and they're waiting for me to finish sharing them everything we went through."

He raised his eyes to look upon her again and in sincerity he replied, "I just didn't wish to impose on the celebration in case… Well, I wanted to give you time alone with your family, and you are after all the one who got us home."

The Savior reached up to touch his face, then tenderly caressed his cheek while she answered, "I couldn't have done so without you, Killian. You didn't just trade your ship and give up the only home you've ever really known for centuries, but you also followed me through Zelena's portal to protect me and to guide me in an unknown world for me, like my mother had the last time I fell through a portal. Even though I know that your hook would have kept you from falling through like I had. And you risked your life to try to save me from Regina's castle after I was caught. You did it all… without any expectation of you and me. I know I made it clear before we could be nothing more than friends and I kept pushing you away, but you still did it. All of it. You gave everything up for me. Why?"

"Because… because I… I love you, Emma," Killian apprehensively responded in complete honesty, no matter how worried he felt about admitting the truth he's held in all this time to her at last despite all he's done to try to show her, especially when she suddenly pulled her hand away and began to stare at him in shock. "I'm sorry. But any other response couldn't be further from the truth and you would have known if I tried to lie to you. I don't expect you to reciprocate my feelings in the slightest. Believe me, I know I haven't made it easy for you to trust me. You're also still struggling with Neal's death and accepting your place in this town, as well as who you are…"

"I already told you I've accepted all that," she replied before he could continue on any further. "I've also forgiven you for anything I might have held against you all this time because you're far more than I can tell you struggle to accept about yourself. I care about you, Killian. I really do. And I'd like something more to come between us, but if something does… If something does, I need to take things slow. I rushed into a relationship with Neal before and even though I know now why he abandoned me and allowed me to wind up in prison, I still ended up getting hurt. But I also think a part of me knew even back then we weren't meant to be together. I just couldn't admit it until we shared our secrets in Echo Cave, and even more so now. With you… I don't know if we're meant to be together or not either, but I would like to find out. Can you be patient with me?"

Killian smiled at her then lovingly whispered, "Aye, love. I can do or be anything you need me to be. Everything I do, I do it for you. Shall we head back inside to rejoin your parents and your boy then? They're probably wondering where you are."

She let out a small chuckle and smiled at him as well while she put her arm through his before taking his hand into her own, then Emma stated, "Right. Come on then."

At last, they walked into the diner together to join back in on the celebration most everyone in Storybrooke had come out for. Little did the Savior or the pirate know that they were being watched while they had spoken and once they disappeared inside, the woman who owned the ice cream shop, Any Given Sundae, stepped out from the shadows underneath the streetlight just beyond the fence surrounding Granny's Diner.

No one in town knew Ingrid was about to show her true colors by becoming the Snow Queen she really was. A number of people entered her shop for ice cream every day, and yet no one ever seemed to pay her much mind or even remember who she was. However, soon enough no one would ever forget her again.

The Snow Queen's eyes darkened as she looked through the window and continued to watch Emma and the man who had just proclaimed his love for the Savior, so long as they remained in her view while she remained out of sight. The handsome Captain clearly in love with the Savior posed a threat to her plans for Emma. If Ingrid hoped to succeed, she would need to find a way to rid the town of him for good, but she had to be careful about how she went about doing so.

Elsewhere… another imposing threat started walking towards town from the barn out at Zelena's farmhouse, after the urn another being with ice and snow magic had been trapped in for thirty years also had come through the time portal behind Emma and Killian, then at last freed her on impact.

However, inside the diner, a big reveal was about to occur as well, that would soon turn Regina's and Robin's lives upside down in a way no one expected. A reveal which would come in the form of the woman whom Emma and Killian brought back with them from Rumplestiltskin's castle that very night. Someone who appeared to be an innocent woman, but whose true identity was protected by a glamor spell and the six leaf clover hanging around her neck.


	2. Chapter 2

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Two

When Emma and Killian entered the diner, David, Mary Margaret, Henry, Red, and Granny were the first to join them, after the older Princess had finished speaking with Red Riding Hood about her decision to return to the Enchanted Forest again so she could try to find whoever might still remain of her wolf pack, in search of a new sense of belonging she could no longer find there in Storybrooke despite her love for Granny and her dear friends. What started out as a celebration and naming ceremony for the Charming's newborn son and to honor his namesake, also soon became a celebration to honor Emma's and Killian's safe return from the past to the present, as well as a goodbye party for a very dear friend about to leave them.

"Hook… I uh… I wanted to thank you," David finally spoke to Killian when the Captain was about to follow Granny to help her with a tray of food for them when Emma asked the older woman for two grilled cheese sandwiches and some onion rings, then Killian looked at the Prince in surprise, especially upon seeing the look of sincerity in David's eyes. "I know that I don't say so often enough… if not ever really, but Emma told us what you did for her. That you protected her even when you didn't have to, and you risked your life."

"We both wanted to say thank you," Mary Margaret added sincerely, then embraced Hook in a brief hug in order to show him she meant what she said. "So, thank you."

Before Killian could say anything back to them, Charming quickly continued, "I remember you also gave me some pretty good advice back then. You may have been under a glamor spell and pretending to be someone you weren't, but I know now Prince Charles was really you. And you told me that you once thought as I did when I expressed my concern about there being no such thing as true love. Until you said that all it took for you to change your mind was meeting the right person. You have no idea how right you were and though it pains me to admit it, you were right. And on top of that, you told me you would go to the end of the world for Emma… and time. Which you did. I'll always remember that, Hook. So… thank you. For showing me you meant it."

Emma looked at Killian and smiled as she asked, "You really said all that to my father?"

"Well… we were after all trying to fix our mistakes and bring your parents back together again," the pirate replied modestly, as though all he had done and said was nothing special. "I had to tell your father something to make him reconsider. Who knows what would have happened had I left everything up to him."

"When did this bonding moment between the two of you happen?" the Savior then questioned her father once Killian walked away to continue to help Granny out as he stood at the end of the bar.

The Prince and sheriff sighed and then he answered, "It was when we were waiting for Snow to return with a way for us to enter the Evil Queen's castle so we could rescue you… after you had been captured. Hook said you had my mother's ring that I planned to give to Kathryn at some point, until I met Snow that is and then… I wasn't so sure."

Emma nodded, then she looked between her parents and her son as she spoke again apprehensively saying, "You both should also know that Hook had nothing to do with us accidentally screwing up your first meeting. It was all my fault. Honestly. While we were watching you, Dad, as you left your carriage on your way to King Midas' castle so that you could marry Kathryn… just before Mom… you would have stolen your mother's ring like you had done the first time… I startled you. You saw me and Hook watching you from the ground just before you fell from that tree you were hiding in and then you ran off."

"Before I could rob the royal carriage like I planned to do," Mary Margaret responded as she pieced the chain of events together. "That was you too?"

"Yeah… it was," the Charmings' daughter sheepishly replied. "And if that wasn't bad enough, I almost spoiled things with Rumplestiltskin when I accidentally revealed to him that he would eventually come to love Belle. Believe me… it didn't really sit so well with him. Hook on the other hand played it off as a joke, though I'm not really sure Rumplestiltskin so much believed that either… seeing as minutes before he had tried to kill Hook. I can't believe that was Gold before he became as he is now. As the actual Dark One, he was terrifying. And funny all at the same time."

Everyone around her just laughed, then David answered, "Believe me… we know."

 _It was then that Robin and Roland walked inside the diner followed closely by Regina after they finished going for a long walk through town, just as Emma walked over to join with Killian and Marian, whom he had fallen into a conversation with before he could rejoin the others with their food._

 _The maiden still had yet to reveal who she was, but as soon as she saw Regina once Robin had already guided his son over to one of the booths to sit down in, she suddenly became afraid_ _when she stared at the former villainess while she fearfully uttered, "It's the Evil Queen."_

 _"It's okay," Emma immediately responded in hope of calming her down before a scene could be made, that would hurt not only Regina, but Robin, Roland, and Marian too. "She's different now. She's not the same person anymore. You'll see. I'll… Just stay here."_

 _"Regina," the Savior worryingly stated when she turned and approached her friend still standing a few feet away from her before she could join Robin again. "There's something you should know. I brought someone back from the past…"_

 _The Mayor looked at Emma in surprise while she continued, "This woman, she still thinks of you as…"_

 _Upon seeing her struggling for the right word, Regina finally finished for her as she replied, "Evil."_

 _"I'll bring her over," the Savior added once she simply nodded. "I already told her that it's okay, but it's a little delicate. And I feel like, if she met you, she'll see…"_

 _"I understand," the dark haired woman answered her kindly._

 _Emma then returned to Marian and Killian as she laid her hand gently over Killian's shoulder, as her previous cellmate back in the Enchanted Forest beneath the Evil Queen's castle walked around the bar to join her when Emma intended to introduce her to her friend, and once they approached the good woman she said again, "Regina, I would like you to meet…"_

 _However, before anymore between the women could be spoken, Robin Hood suddenly stood up from his booth upon seeing the newcomer from the past and while he stared at her in disbelief, he uttered, "Marian? Marian?"_

 _"Robin?" the other woman questioned in her own disbelief upon seeing her husband from behind the balloons until he stepped out into the open._

 _"I thought you were dead," the archer continued as he suddenly embraced her, his voice thick with emotion. "I thought I'd never see you again."_

 _Stunned by the sudden and bizarre reunion, Regina stared at them both blankly as the maiden responded, "And I you."_

 _Roland also saw her when he too stepped out of the booth upon hearing his father mention his mother's name, then he quietly called out, "Mama?"_

 _"Roland!" Marian gasped with relief and joy, while she crouched down to embrace her son as well. "Oh my baby. Roland."_

 _"You?" Regina suddenly grumbled after she watched Robin put his arms around both of them until she turned away in order to face Emma again, her voice breaking as she spoke. "You did this?"_

 _Emma looked at her out of worry as she humbly replied, "I just wanted to save her life."_

 _Regina shook her head as she retorted coldly, "You're just like your mother… Never thinking of consequences."_

 _"I didn't know," the younger woman whispered pleadingly, hoping Regina could come to forgive her._

 _"Of course you didn't," the former Evil Queen angrily answered her. "Well, you'd just better hope to hell, you didn't bring anything else back."_

 _Finally, Regina just turned away from her and at last walked out from Granny's Diner to get away from everyone. Killian immediately stood from his stool in front of the bar and laid his hand over the small of Emma's back to offer the woman he loved some comfort, until she turned to look at him in gratitude, before she stepped away so she could follow after Regina to continue to try to help her friend._

 _Upon doing so, the Savior found the Mayor standing at the fence surrounding the diner and heard the woman release a sigh in frustration, then she called out to her, "Regina…"_

 _However, Regina retorted again saying, "Not now, Swan."_

 _"I'm sorry," Emma responded in sincerity. "When I brought Marian back, I didn't know who she was. I didn't intend to cause you pain."_

 _"Well… your intentions really don't matter," the dark haired woman replied sadly and then scoffed. "Because once again, I've felt the brunt of heroism. Always the villain… Even when I'm not."_

 _The younger woman asked her bluntly, "What was I supposed to do?"_

 _Regina coldly answered, "Well… you were dumb enough to travel through time. Maybe you should have left things well enough alone."_

 _"I am not gonna apologize for saving someone's life," Emma responded when she finally stuck up for herself in defense of her actions._

 _"She was to die anyway," the former Evil Queen cruelly replied to her. "What did it matter?"_

 _The Savior answered firmly, "What mattered was she was a person. And… Whatever she did, she didn't deserve to die…"_

 _Regina quickly responded, "Well, maybe she did."_

 _"Well… you would know," the blonde haired woman replied curtly. "I saved her from you."_

 _"The woman who did that… that was the person I was, not the person I am," the Mayor answered her sadly upon being hurt by her friend's accusation. "I worked very hard to build a future… A future that's now gone."_

 _However, Emma responded again, "You don't know that."_

 _Regina continued more angrily, "Well, I know it's complicated enough that his dead wife is back."_

 _"Regina… for that, I'm sorry," the Savior replied to her more sincerely. "If there's anything I can do to help…"_

 _"Swan…" her friend interrupted her before Emma could go on. "The more you try to help… the worse my life becomes."_

 _All of a sudden, the door of the diner opened as Robin, Marian and Roland came walking out to join Emma and Regina outside while Robin pleaded, "Marian… please, meet her. She's not at all what you think."_

 _While he guided his wife and son over to the woman he loved now and turned to look at her, the archer spoke worryingly saying, "Regina… I… I want you to meet Marian. I… I want us to talk about this."_

 _"Wait… were you two… Are you two together?" the woman from the past questioned upon recognizing the looks between her husband and the dark haired woman she could still only see as the Evil Queen._

 _"Marian, please," Robin pleaded with her again._

 _However, Marian brusquely added, "You and the Evil Queen? Did you let her near my son? Do you know what she's done? The terror that she's inflicted?"_

 _It was then that Mary Margaret with her son in her arms, and David came outside to join them as well while Mary Margaret nervously asked, "Is everything okay?"_

 _"Well… no one's been incinerated yet, so that's a good sign." David callously stated as he followed his wife, though he didn't mean to sound so callous._

 _"Regina, you alright?" Mary Margaret asked her stepmother again with sincerity._

 _Marian stared at everyone around her in disbelief as she questioned, "What… What is wrong with you people? W… why are you talking to her? Don't you know who she is?"_

 _Killian and Henry were the last to join them as they too stepped outside while the teenager looked at his mother and then asked, "Mom… what's going on?"_

 _"She's a monster!" the woman from the past darkly retorted as she pointed again at Regina, who started to raise her hand as her instinct prompted her to attack Marian like she would have were she still the Evil Queen, until Regina stopped herself from doing so when she lowered her hand._

 _"No, she's…" Emma started to answer in an attempt to defend Regina, until the former Queen turned as Regina finally just walked away from them all again. "Regina…."_

 _While Marian picked up Roland in her arms so they and Robin could return inside the diner, Hook slipped around David while he reached out to grab Emma's arm to stop her from going after Regina again, then he responded, "Uh… no good has ever come of pushing that woman. Give her space."_

 _David agreed and kept his eyes on Regina while she walked further and further away as he added, "Yeah… but it's what she does in that space I'm worried about."_

 _"You don't think she'll become evil again?" Henry then asked his family again worryingly. "She can't. She's come too far."_

 _"I hope you're right, kid," Emma simply replied to her son in her own concern as she wrapped her arm around his shoulders, until David and Mary Margaret urged him to follow them back inside in hope they could help to take their grandson's mind off of his worry for his adopted mother, leaving Emma and Killian alone._

The Savior watched after Regina until she finally disappeared down the street, then she quietly said to the man still standing beside her, "You were right, Hook. I should have listened to you. I just… I didn't know how I could leave her behind to die."

He wrapped his hooked arm around her shoulders and held her against him in comfort while he answered, "You saved her because it's who you are, Swan. And while I might have been right, I wish I wasn't. Marian didn't deserve to die. Just as she, Regina, Robin, and Roland don't deserve the pain they're all feeling now."

"Do you think I can fix this?" Emma asked him as she turned her head to look up at him.

"Without a doubt," Killian responded steadfastly, with complete faith in her. "Just give Regina some time. She'll forgive you, Emma. I'm sure of it."


	3. Chapter 3

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Three

Much later that evening…

Somewhere on the main road within the woods leading towards the town line from the center of town, Grumpy and Sleepy were driving upon beginning their patrol once the celebration ended shortly after the commotion between Regina, Emma, Marian, and Robin, since no one was in the partying mood any longer and everyone soon left the diner to go home for the evening. On their way, they saw Archie, Belle, and Gold walking along the side of the road upon leaving the woods to return to town after the doctor had finished marrying the beauty and her beast. The dwarfs halfheartedly congratulated the newlyweds, then offered the three of them a lift back into town. However, Archie was the only one to accept their offer, while Gold and Belle chose to continue walking home together.

Once the dwarfs dropped him and Pongo off at his office, Grumpy and Sleepy returned to their patrol again as they headed back to the town line. Unfortunately, it wasn't long before Sleepy had begun to drift off to sleep like he often did even in the most inopportune moments, as Leroy immediately shouted at him to wake up while he reached over to grab the wheel from him before they crashed. But much to their surprise, a woman suddenly appeared in front of them and Grumpy attempted to stop the truck as he struggled to wake his brother. Yet before he could, a sudden blast of ice and snow blasted towards them and froze the truck in place, the jarring impact causing both men inside to lose consciousness as they struck their heads.

The woman who fired the magic from her hands had done so only to defend herself from being struck down as she looked away out of fear, but when she finally lifted her head again and looked back at what she had done, she stared at the unknown contraption frozen in front of her until she turned away and continued towards town. She didn't know where she was or where she was going, but she hoped something would soon make itself known that might help give her some answers now that she was finally freed from her prison, as well as answers that would lead her back to her sister.

The next morning…

Henry awoke to the smell and sound of bacon being cooked nearby, then sleepily he sat up from the bed which folded out from the couch within the living room of his mom's and grandparents' loft where he had slept for the night after Regina had walked away from everyone at Granny's, not wanting to see or talk with anyone for awhile including her own son.

Upon seeing him awaken, David called out to Henry from the kitchen where he and Mary Margaret were making everyone breakfast saying, "Good morning, Henry. How'd you sleep?"

The teenager looked between his grandparents dejectedly while he responded, "About as well as I could under the circumstances. I left Mom a message to see if there was anything I could do for her, but she didn't answer. She also didn't even send me a text back, or anything to at least let me know she's okay. It's not like her not to answer my calls. I'm worried about her."

"Try not to worry, Henry," Mary Margaret replied, trying not to show him her own concern for her friend. "Regina will let you know she's okay soon. I'm sure of it. And she'll let you in when she's ready to talk. It's just that everything that's happened is still so fresh. She needs some time alone. You know she's much stronger than she used to be, so try not to worry that she'll go back to her old ways."

"I hope you're right, Mom," Emma answered her, as she then walked down from the loft after she had also awakened from the smell of and sound of the bacon sizzling on the stove.

Mary Margaret stepped out from behind the island where she had been busy scrambling the egg mixture for the French toast she and David were about to start for their breakfast before she could soak the bread in it, then she pulled her daughter into a hug as she stated, "Good morning, sweetheart. I don't want you worrying too much either. Everything's going to be just fine. You'll see. Now… why don't you and Henry both have a seat at the table while your father and I finish breakfast. It won't take too long. Did you invite Hook over this morning? We have plenty of food."

David looked at his wife and daughter in confusion, then he asked, "Why would Emma invite him over for breakfast? I mean… it's not like they're dating or anything. Are they?"

"Dad," Emma grumbled in frustration, then ignored him as she answered her mother's question. "No… I haven't invited Hook over this morning. I'm sure I'll see him at some point later, but… Last night something did sort of happen between us."

"He finally asked you out and you said yes?!" her mother excitedly asked Emma, upon assuming that this was what her daughter meant.

The Savior raised her head as she looked at Mary Margaret and questioned, "What? No! I mean… We just had a long talk and I finally realized what I should have realized a long time ago. Just how much Killian's sacrificed for not only me, but for all of us. I don't know if you've noticed, but Hook's ship isn't in the harbor because he traded the Jolly Roger for a magic bean so that he could get back to me in New York."

Henry looked at his mother in surprise while he asked her, "Killian really did that? But he loves his ship. It was his home."

"It's pretty clear that he loves Emma so much more," Mary Margaret responded happily as she smiled for her daughter, then turned her head to look at her again. "So… are you going to ask him out then?"

"I told him we need to take things between us slow," the Savior anxiously replied to her again. "But after what happened last night between me, Regina, and Marian… I'm not so sure moving forward in any kind of relationship with him is a good idea right now. I don't want to hurt Regina anymore by flaunting any kind of happiness I feel. With Hook, or otherwise. A relationship would be far too complicated."

David nodded after he listened to the conversation going on around him while he continued cooking, then he finally answered, "That's smart. To wait that is. I do appreciate all Hook's done for you and the rest of us, but…"

Emma looked over at her father as she asked curtly, "But what, Dad? He's a pirate? He's a villain? While Hook's still a pirate, he isn't a villain any longer. He's changed and you know that as well as we do. Last night, you praised him for helping me fix my mistakes in your past and thanked him for protecting me. Just because there may be something between us now, don't start going back to treating him like he is nothing more than a pirate because you're uncomfortable with us being in any kind of relationship."

"You're right," the Prince responded to her when he realized she was right about how unfair he was treating Hook, although a part of him still needed to see more of a change in the pirate and that he was truly serious in his feelings for his daughter before he could accept him dating her. "I'm sorry. I'll work on it."

"It looks like breakfast is just about ready," Mary Margaret said again to try to ease the tension, then motioned for everyone to come to the table, while she walked over and bent down to pick Neal up from his crib when he awoke again as well as she whispered to him. "Good morning, sleepyhead. You slept so good last night. What a good boy you are."

Henry put down his phone again after he sent his adopted mother another message to try to get in touch with her, then started eating once David put a plate of food consisting of French toast, bacon, and scrambled eggs down in front of him. He then set another plate of food down in front of Emma too, as well as one down for himself and his wife before she had a chance to join them. He finished serving them as he put down glasses of orange juice for everyone, then finally took a seat next to his grandson so he could begin to eat too.

None of them had been eating long, before a loud knock sounded at the door and David stood up to answer it, then was surprised to see Grumpy standing on the other side when he brusquely yelled, "You guys won't believe what just happened to us! To Sleepy and me. I'm telling you, we're under attack! By someone with ice magic. We were on patrol last night and the next thing we knew, we woke up in our van after it had been blasted with it. Our whole van is iced over. Who's got that kind of magic around here?"

Emma stood up from the table as she sighed in frustration, then she looked between the dwarf and her father and replied, "I guess it's time to go to work. Dad… meet me out there whenever you can. Everything else will just have to wait until later."

"You're not going to try to find whoever did that to the dwarfs' van on your own are you?" Mary Margaret asked her daughter worryingly. "At least call Hook to join you."

"I'll be just fine until Dad can meet me," the Savior sternly answered her, then started after Leroy, until she turned around to face her parents again before she left. "I promise, I won't get myself into trouble. I don't need Hook's protection, or anyone else's. See you soon, Dad."


	4. Chapter 4

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Four

When she left the loft before she was even able to finish breakfast, feeling anxious and grateful to be able to occupy her mind and thoughts with work so she could avoid thinking about the mistake she made towards Regina, and her feelings for Hook, whatever they were. It couldn't be love like he felt for her as he admitted to her just the night before. The truth was, Emma wasn't sure she was capable of loving anyone that way any longer. Not since Neal. However, she knew she did feel something for him. Something that frightened her a little. How could she not feel anything, after everything he's done and sacrificed for her? Plus… when Killian had told her in Neverland that the fun would begin once she rescued Henry, she couldn't help but feel in that moment a brief spark of excitement she hadn't felt in a very long time.

Yet right now, there was trouble in town like there always seemed to be, so she couldn't think about him or taking the next step forward in any kind of relationship with Killian until the danger was taken care of and she found a way to fix things between her and Regina too. She just needed to figure out how.

 _Emma was just about to the station so she could get a few things before she headed out to the woods with Grumpy and a few of the other dwarfs to get a look at their frozen over truck, but as she was about to enter inside, Killian appeared behind her while he suddenly called out her name, then ran forward to catch up with her when she quickly turned away from him._

 _"_ _Swan, are you avoiding me?" he questioned her, as she started walking away from him until he reached out to grab her arm to stop her from going inside._

 _"I'm not avoiding you," she answered in frustration while she looked up at him. "I'm just… dealing with stuff. We have a crisis right now."_

 _Hook put his head back and closed his eyes upon feeling his own frustration before he lowered his head again to look at her as she finally faced him while he sternly replied, "There is always a crisis. Perhaps you should consider living your life during them. Otherwise, you might miss it."_

Killian moved in closer to her and tenderly laid his hand over her arm as he was about to lean in to kiss her, until Leroy interrupted them when he cleared his throat, then sarcastically grumbled, "I'm sorry to break up this touchy feely moment between the two of you, but the town is under attack, you know?"

"When is it not?" the Captain retorted as he glared at the dwarf after Emma stepped back and turned away from him out of embarrassment from being caught in such a precarious position. "We'll get right on it. Will you be showing us where you last saw this… attacker then?"

"I don't really think there's a need for that," Emma responded when she looked down at the ground and noticed a trail of ice leading past the station towards a warehouse down the street and then started to follow it, while Killian followed close behind her.

 _When they heard and saw the door of the gated fence surrounding the building ahead of them slam closed, both of them picked up their pace hoping to catch up to the intruder with ice magic. As soon as they ran through the gate, the Savior pulled her gun and raised it in case of an attack. However, neither of them expected to face off against a giant snowman that suddenly formed right in front of their eyes, while whoever conjured it hid out of fear._

 _Emma and Killian both stared up at it in disbelief as Killian uttered, "All right… that's a new one."_

 _As the snow beast began to growl when it turned towards them threateningly, Emma slowly lowered her service weapon a little in an attempt to show they weren't a threat to it, then called out to it and to its maker saying, "We don't want to pick a fight."_

 _"Swan…" Hook whispered worryingly as he moved closer to her to try to protect her until she pulled away from him again._

 _"I just want to see what it wants," she answered sternly, until the snowman suddenly roared at them, demanding that they go away as it blew Emma back against Killian, who immediately caught her when they both fell back against the ground, causing her to land on top of him while her gun inadvertently fired off a shot at the snowman._

 _Emma and Hook immediately got back up to their feet to run away from the giant, then started back towards town while the snowman followed after them, and once the dwarfs and the townsfolk who were around saw it coming, they all began to scream in fear as Grumpy shouted out, "Evil snowman! Run!"_

 _However, as everyone began to run around and cry out, the monster turned off, started stomping away in another direction, and when the sheriff saw it do so, she watched it while she stated again, "I think the noise is scaring it. It's headed for the forest."_

"Well then… let's follow it," David said in frustration once he came running over to join his daughter and friend.

"Of course," the pirate retorted crossly, then followed after Emma again when she and David started after the snow beast as it continued on towards the woods.

It felt like they had been chasing after the snowman for hours by the time they finally ran into Robin's and the merry men's camp within the middle of the woods, after they had lost sight of it. However, they suspected it wouldn't be long before the monster showed itself again and actually attack someone if they couldn't figure out a way to stop it.

 _As Emma, Hook, and David all came running into the camp, Robin immediately sensed something was wrong when he stood up from where he, Marian and Little John were sitting around a fire and looked at them in concern while he asked, "What is it?"_

 _David quickly replied, "Some kind of… snow monster."_

 _"No monster shall cross our path," the archer responded, as John immediately rushed to get his crossbow to defend them. "We'll give you our assist…"_

 _"It's getting closer," Hook swiftly called out before Robin could finish after they all heard the magical being roar out somewhere in the distance as it neared them. "It's coming from the north."_

 _After Robin also picked up his bow and tethered an arrow into it, the heroes all could hear the snowman's heavy footsteps as it grew closer until it finally appeared before them and then while he raised his finger to point towards it, John shouted, "There!"_

 _Before Emma, Killian, or David could stop the merry man, John fired one of his crossbow arrows into its shoulder while Emma cried out, "No, no, no! Don't shoot!"_

 _"It only attacks when it feels threatened," Killian worryingly added before the beast suddenly roared at them all again, then the Captain quickly glanced between his friends to assess what they had to fight against the snowman with. "Pistol… sword… hook… my cunning wit… I don't think we have what it takes."_

 _"Emma does," David immediately answered him as he turned his head to look at his daughter again._

 _She glanced towards him in surprise as she questioned, "What?"_

 _Hook also looked over at her while he continued, "Your magic, love."_

 _"Right," the Savior replied nervously as she reholstered her gun._

 _"You can do this," Killian assured her, when Emma raised her hands to ignite her magic within her to defend them all against the monster threatening them, while her friends remained by her side._

 _Once she shot the snowman with her light magic, causing it to stumble back, Emma then mumbled sternly, "Take that, frosty."_

 _However, upon her attack, the snow beast only grew angrier and suddenly become more threatening as it formed giant spikes all over its body while they all stared up at it again in greater shock, then Emma uttered, "Really?"_

 _All of a sudden, the snowman struck Emma down with its arm when it backhanded her and then swiftly attacked David, Hook, Robin, and Little John too as it blew its icy breath at them to force them against the ground unconscious. However, before it could continue to hurt them, Marian stepped forward with Robin's bow in hand, then attempted to fire an arrow from it at the snowman again, but before she could, the snowman attacked her too and quickly knocked her off her feet. She stared up at it in fear, until she glanced towards a tree nearby upon seeing Regina step out from behind it when the Evil Queen suddenly appeared among them and watched the scene play out before her._

 _"Please…" Marian pleaded with her as Regina stepped out between her and the snow monster, then turned her head to look down at her coldly. "Help me. Please."_

 _"No," she then cried again in fear, when Regina simply disappeared in her purple smoke without a word and without lifting a finger to help her._

When the woman who was supposedly from the past quickly looked around her in fear and saw that no one was around to help her since they had all been knocked unconscious, she finally toughened up to do what she knew she had to do in order to save herself as it lifted up his leg to crush her beneath its foot, and she raised her hands to conjure up the power she also possessed, aiming her green colored magic against the snow monster. What she didn't see until it was too late, was that Regina had reappeared behind the snow monster to do the same, as both women worked their magic to destroy it together.

Once the creature was destroyed as it burst into a whirl of ice and snow, the two women stared at one another with suspicion. Yet while Marian looked up at Regina in surprise by her return to save her, as well as fear that she had been caught using her magic, the Mayor looked down on her with coldness and anger in her eyes upon realizing that this stranger Emma had saved from her past self wasn't really who she claimed to be.

After Robin, Hook, Emma, David, and John started all came to, the archer immediately rushed over to the woman he believed was his wife upon seeing her sitting up on the ground so he could help her stand and see if she was okay, until Regina was the first one of the two women to speak up as she asked Marian coldly, "So… just who are you really? You can't keep pretending you're Marian because we both know I saw you use magic to try to defeat that giant snowman on your own before you knew I came back to save you."

Robin also looked between them in confusion, as did the other heroes while he questioned, "Regina, what are you… Marian? What's Regina talking about? What magic?"

"You're right, sweetie," Marian cruelly responded to him at last, then pulled away from him to get from out of his comforting arms. "Your beloved Marian didn't ever possess magic like I have. So sorry… but I'm just not her. The Savior and her pirate here did rescue her from the Evil Queen before Regina could have her beheaded. However, they were pretty careless in the past. They made a lot of mistakes, including leaving your wife all alone for a brief moment to try to help the Charmings. And that moment was all I needed. To kill Marian and to take her place so I could come back here to Storybrooke freely and try to rip Regina's happiness away from her. Unfortunately, things haven't exactly gone according to plan."

"So who are you then?" Emma asked her again, while the archer stumbled back and stared at the imposter in shock as she had spoken. "You never answered Regina's question. And why… Why did you want to come here from another time to take Regina's happiness away?"

The woman pretending to be Robin's wife laughed as she finally lifted the six leaf clover hanging around her neck to transform herself back into her true self, suddenly becoming Zelena again, then she answered, "Because Regina doesn't deserve to have her happy ending, especially after she ruined mine when she defeated me. Because of her, Rumplestiltskin very nearly succeeded in killing me after you all placed me inside that jail cell of yours. Had I not been successful in harnessing just enough magic I needed to open up my time portal, or to make it appear to him like he had killed me, I would have died. But I did and I traveled through the portal along with Emma and the pirate, then bided my time before the right opportunity presented itself to me."

She turned back to Robin again as she added cruelly, "I am sorry, Robin. Though, I can't say that being with you was all bad. I did somewhat enjoy making love to you last night. Despite your reservations to do so. I suppose I'll be seeing you all around."

"I don't think so, sis," Regina angrily replied, when she swiftly used her magic to return the magic dampening cuff around Zelena's wrist before the Wicked Witch had the chance to vanish from them. "You won't be getting away from us again so easily. We're not finished talking."

"Not again!" Zelena screamed as she glared at her sister when she saw she had been caught and her magic was stripped from her. "You're not going to get away with this!"

The younger sister retorted, "I already have."

She then used her magic to poof Zelena back to the jail cell inside the station like before so they would be able to question her further again later. Once she did so, she turned back to Robin and started towards him, until he backed away from her as well while he spoke quietly saying, "Please… not right now. I can't… I need some time to think."

"Robin?" Regina called out after him in worry, as the archer suddenly took off running deeper in the woods so he could be alone for awhile. "I'm so… I'm sorry."

 _"Regina, we've been trying to find you," Emma said to her in concern when she walked towards her. "We need to talk about…"_

 _The Mayor suddenly vanished from the camp before Emma could finish, and the Savior sighed in frustration upon realizing that talking to her still wasn't going to be so easy. Marian was no longer in the way of the Queen and Robin being together because she had turned out to be an imposter much to everyone's surprise. However, the strain between herself and Regina was still too heavy._

 _Emma stepped away from the others while David stayed with John to talk to him for a few minutes before they returned to town. Once she was alone a little further away, the Savior bent down to pick up some of the snow that remained behind from the snowman and started playing with it in her hands, when the pirate Captain who loved her walked up quietly behind her._

 _She made a snowball and swiftly cast it away in frustration, then in trying to ease her guilt a little, Killian lightheartedly stated, "So… crisis averted."_

 _Emma chuckled, feeling grateful to him upon knowing what he was doing and while she didn't feel any better, she humorously responded, "Now you want to go home and see what's on Netflix?"_

 _"I don't know what that is, but sure," he eagerly answered her and laughed as well, not quite catching that she was only attempting to keep up her false façade._

 _"Killian, someone created that… snowman," the Savior replied to him again, though this time in all seriousness. "This isn't over."_

 _The Captain shook his head and responded, "It never is. All the more reason to enjoy the quiet moments, and right now… We have a quiet moment."_

 _When he moved in closer to her once more and she felt his hand over the small of her back after he wrapped his arm around her, she smiled until she answered quietly, "I know. I just got to do something."_

 _"Right," he finally retorted out of frustration once he stepped back again, then made a motion with his hand for her to run off. "Of course. Go ahead. Don't tell me you're not avoiding me anymore because I'm actually quite perceptive, and this… This is avoiding me."_

 _"No… I know," Emma replied to him with a nod of her head, though she smiled at him sadly. "I am. I just feel… Right now, I just feel too guilty."_

 _Killian looked at her as he questioned, "Over Regina?"_

 _The Savior responded, "She lost someone she really cares for because of me."_

 _"No… there's more to this than just Regina, isn't there?" he sternly asked her again upon sensing there was something she was still keeping from him._

 _"Be patient," she whispered to him and then leaned in close to kiss him tenderly on his lips._

 _The man in love with her understood and said gently, "I have all the time in the world."_

 _Once she walked away from him, before he too walked off to join back up with David and John, Hook then added more sternly, "Unless… another monster appears and kills me."_


	5. Chapter 5

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Five

Meanwhile…

Belle rode with her new husband out to the cemetery shortly after they awoke the morning after they married so Gold could speak with his son, having been uncomfortable and unsure of doing so until now thanks to his wife's encouragement. For a few brief moments, he spoke to Neal sincerely from the heart, while his wife waited for him out in the car. Gold came clean to Baelfire about holding onto the real dagger after he had given Belle a fake so that he could take his vengeance against Zelena. However, now that he believed he succeeded in doing so, he pleaded with his son to give him the strength to switch them back so he could become the man Baelfire always wanted him to be. A man his son could be proud of.

Once Gold finished talking with Neal, Belle asked him to drive them out to an old manor she discovered out on one of her morning hikes that remained unclaimed since it apparently came back with them from the Enchanted Forest after the latest curse had returned them all to Storybrooke. The beauty thought the mansion would be the perfect place for them to spend their honeymoon, and Gold was more than happy to agree with her. What he didn't know was that the mansion once belonged to the Sorcerer.

However, when the newlyweds walked inside, the Dark One quickly discovered a relic from long ago that he had sought for a long time to get his hands on until it had been taken from him by an adversary, and kept from him by another who had yet to make herself known. And in finding the relic there just after Gold finished switching back the daggers so that Belle now possessed the real one, he immediately knew who once owned the mansion.

But before he even had the chance to pick up the round box, Belle turned around to face him upon noticing that he wasn't paying any attention to her while she had been talking to him about the manor and its beauty, then she asked him in worry, "Is everything okay, Rumple? Is something wrong?"

He immediately turned his attention back on his wife as he replied, "Of course. I'm sorry about that. I just couldn't help but notice the unique taste for decorating this mansion's owner possessed when he or she built this place. It's really quite remarkable."

"I know it is," the beauty responded eagerly, then reached out to take her husband's hands so she could lead him to another room she discovered. "Come… see what else I've found here. I've found not only a library filled with wonderful books, but it appears that this room was used as a ballroom for grand balls and celebrations."

 _"Come on," she happily said again once she opened up two wood sliding doors to reveal the library to him, then let out a small chuckle as she did so and led him inside. "So… What do you think?"_

 _Gold observed the room and looked at his wife as he romantically answered, "Well… I think we've been married almost a full day, and I don't believe we've had our first dance."_

 _Before she had a chance to reply, the man she had fallen deeply in love with swiftly used his powers to start soft romantic music over the gramophone across the room, then lighted the elegant chandelier hanging down from the ceiling above them, and finally changed Belle's clothes into a beautiful golden ball gown, as well as his own suit, into a fancy blue and gold trimmed jacket._

 _As his wife smiled at him where she stood, Gold moved in closer to her and raised his hands to take her own while he spoke again lovingly saying, "Care to dance… Mrs. Gold?"_

 _"I would love to," Belle replied happily, then together they began to dance, and did so for the next hour._

When they finished dancing, they spent the rest of the day together in the library while they talked, and Belle read to him from several books. Then, they ate an immaculate dinner before the newlyweds finally turned in early, as they went to bed so they could make love like all newlywed couples do on the eve of their wedding, even though their wedding had technically been the night before.

Once Belle had finally fallen asleep and Gold knew she would remain so for the rest of the night, he carefully rose from the bed so he wouldn't disturb her, then quietly walked back out into the living room of the manor where the magical box remained on the wooden coffee table in front of the room's couch and chair along with a few other antiques as well.

The Dark One had gone into Belle's purse again to take back his true dagger so that he could use it to do what he hoped to accomplish. When he finished unwrapping the blade from the cloth he and Belle had concealed it in, then held it within his hands as he stared down at his tether, a part of him began to regret what he was about to do. Not only was he going against what he had promised his son when he vowed to be a better man, should he go through with it, but he would also be hiding a dark truth from his wife by making her believe she was still in possession of the real dagger, and that he had changed.

After Gold stared down at his name magically engraved deep into the blade for nearly two minutes while he considered his path ahead, the darkness finally won out over the good in him, as the villain slowly waved his dagger over the top of the box in order to activate the power within it. When he did so, magic suddenly transformed the box into the Sorcerer's hat contained within it and Gold stared down at the artifact in awe, as he at last had the power to do what he's wanted to do for many, many years within his grasp. However, the moment he reached out to touch it, something most unexpected happened.

"You may have possession of the Sorcerer's hat now, Dark One…" a voice suddenly sounded, as a strange apparition of the Apprentice suddenly appeared in front of him, causing Gold to stumble backwards upon becoming startled. "However, it doesn't mean you will succeed in cleaving yourself from your tether to the dagger like you want. It will take far more than the power even you possess."

Rumplestiltskin glared at the old man while he then stepped forward again and responded, "Save your warnings. I know the kind of power this hat requires to do as I need. Did you really think I haven't learned all I can about it? I will get the power I need, no matter what I must do. And seeing as this mansion and your boss' hat are here now, I'm guessing you're around Storybrooke somewhere too. It's only a matter of time before I find you."

The Apprentice looked at him sternly while he answered, "We shall see. You will not win, Rumplestiltskin."

And with his final words spoken, the Apprentice's projection then vanished as sudden as he appeared. Gold stared blankly where the old man had been moments earlier, while dark thoughts now consumed his mind as he began to consider all he had to accomplish to finally be freed from the dagger, while still holding onto his power. Little did he know there would be one final ingredient required he hadn't yet learned about. One which the Snow Queen would later reveal to him upon being the first to discover the secret.


	6. Chapter 6

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Six

Meanwhile…

Once night fell, the Snow Queen stepped outside of her ice cream shop after she finished closing up for the evening, and casually made her way out of town towards the woods until she came upon the town line like she was anyone else simply out for a late night walk, wearing a long coat over her t-shirt and Capri pants, as well as a warm knit hat over her head even though the chill in the air didn't bother her. The warm clothes were merely for an appearance she maintained to remain invisible to anyone who passed her by so she wouldn't stand out.

The time had nearly come for her to at last make herself known to Emma and the heroes who lived in this small magical part of a much larger and strange magicless world that she had been living in for nearly as long as everyone else had, and even longer outside of Storybrooke waiting for the Savior to be born.

While she stood in front of the town line without crossing over, Ingrid raised her hands above her head and forcefully unleashed her powers within her, as large walls made of ice suddenly began to form before her, which grew taller and wider the longer she kept her power to freeze ignited. The force of her wintery spell caused the earth the tremble and the electric post and power lines servicing the town with electricity to fall, then once she saw that the walls were forged, the villainess smiled at her work before she finally headed deeper into the woods in order to build herself a new lair where she would remain safe from capture until her plans were complete.

Inside Granny's Diner…

Henry was sitting alone at the bar when Emma walked in, after her son had left the loft upon receiving word from his adopted mother by bird that she didn't wish to see him until she was ready to see him again. He knew that Regina was hurting and was afraid she might have lost the man she loved for good even though Marian turned out to be no one other than Zelena, and not the archer's wife brought back to him from the past like the witch had briefly made them all believe. However, it still hurt him that she wouldn't let him in so he could try to help her.

The Savior hadn't been sitting next to her son long, as she tried to offer him small comfort knowing just how much being rejected by Regina was hurting him, when the power suddenly went out. And then, David's voice swiftly came over the walkie talkie she was carrying under her arm now that she and her father worked as sheriffs together and used the talkies to communicate faster than they could over the phone when it was necessary to, as he quickly told her the blackout covered the entire town, having discovered so upon receiving a number of calls complaining of their power going out.

He quickly added that he would pick her up so they could investigate it together, then Emma attempted to invite Henry to come along with them, but he refused. So, Emma left without giving him so much as a hug like she wanted to give him, knowing he wouldn't accept her comfort and help until he was ready to either, just like Regina.

While she waited for her father to come, Emma quickly sent off a brief text to Killian over the new phone she had given him the day before as she asked him for his help. He didn't answer her back, but he barely understood the technology and Emma didn't really have much time to teach him even the very basics. However, she knew he would at least see her message and would happily come like she asked of him.

 _Once she and David arrived at the town line where the main power lines were, they were surprised to say the least by the giant ice wall now standing in front of them. However, it wasn't long before Emma established that it had been created after the incident with the snow monster they fought not much more than an hour ago._

 _"_ _In case you were wondering, it goes the whole way 'round," Hook spoke out to them when he suddenly appeared in front of them a few feet away after he stepped out from the trees in the woods surrounding them, as both Emma and David immediately shined their flashlights on him upon hearing a twig snap beneath his foot._

 _"Hook… I didn't know you were joining us." David said out of frustration once he saw the pirate had come too._

 _The pirate Captain walked towards them while he cheekily responded, "Well… I get a distress call from a fair maiden, and I'm on the spot."_

 _Emma looked at him sternly as she retorted, "I was not distressed, and you're saying this wall goes around what… the whole town?"_

 _"And that it does," Killian answered her, as the three of them all turned to observe the wall before them._

 _"So… once again, we can't leave Storybrooke," David responded in concern._

 _Hook turned his body enough to look down at the fallen electric post before he looked back at Emma and David again while he crossly added, "Doing more than keeping us inside, by the looks of that. Guess that's what caused the loss of power?"_

 _Emma looked at him with surprise, then replied, "Look at you becoming a twenty-first century man. Yeah. It looks to me like whoever was putting up the wall wasn't trying to take out the lights. They were just putting up the wall."_

 _"To keep us in…" the Prince worryingly stated again. "Why?"_

 _"Kill us all one by one," the pirate smugly answered him, though a part of him feared he might be right even if he was only saying so half jokingly. "It's what I'd do."_

 _When David suddenly heard police chatter over the radio coming from the car, he turned and walked away to answer it, then Killian turned back to Emma as he moved in closer to her and threw up his hand while he spoke audaciously saying, "Oh… I should have brought the champagne."_

 _She looked at him in confusion as she uttered, "What?"_

 _"To celebrate our second date," he continued, glancing at the wall as he did so. "And because we've got the world's largest ice bucket."_

 _"Second date?" she questioned him when she still didn't understand what he was talking about. "Did I miss the first?"_

 _Killian stepped closer to her once more, and he looked towards the woods, then the ice wall before he looked at Emma again while he frustratingly replied, "Aye. The snow monster's the first. Ice wall's the second. After all, if I only count the quiet dinners, we wouldn't even get one."_

 _Before Emma could respond to him, she also looked towards the wall again and suddenly thought she caught a glimpse of someone within one of the wall's crevasses, then said to him quietly, "I think I see something by the wall. You wait here with your ice bucket while I check that out."_

 _Killian watched Emma walk away from him towards the wall while David came walking up behind him again and firmly stated, "I think it's time you and I have a little talk about your intentions with my daughter."_

 _"That's a little old fashioned, even by my standards, and I still pay with doubloons," the Captain responded in aggravation caused by the Prince's questioning of his intentions with the woman he loved._

 _"Oh, remember… I know your reputation," David carefully warned him. "Emma is not some conquest."_

 _"I wouldn't risk my life for someone I see as loot," Hook answered her father with firm assurance in his voice and his eyes when David turned his head to look over at him. "Whatever we become, it's up to her as much as me."_

 _The younger man simply nodded, then they both turned back towards the wall so they could keep their eyes on Emma as she moved in closer to investigate what she thought she had seen. And when she climbed up into one of the small openings within the ice, it was then she finally saw a woman standing inside the crevasse, with long blonde hair pulled back into a braid and wearing a shimmering blue gown._

 _The sheriff looked at her with surprise as she carefully moved in closer while she questioned, "Hey… Who are you?"_

 _The stranger kept her arm out to indicate to the Savior to stay back as she brusquely replied, "Elsa. My name is Elsa."_

 _"Okay… Elsa," Emma continued again, though this time she kept her distance. "It's okay. I'm Emma. You want to tell me what you're doing out here? You have something to do with this… wall?"_

 _"I'm looking for someone…" the woman who called herself Elsa more worryingly responded again. "My sister. I can't find her."_

 _Elsa held a silver necklace in the shape of a snowflake within her hand and showed it to the Savior while she added, "This was hers. I found it in the store filled with things. Where is she?"_

 _Emma attempted to reach out to touch the necklace so she could look at it more closely until Elsa pulled it back, then the sheriff calmly answered her, "I have no idea, but if you want me to help you, you have to help me. What's her name?"_

 _"Anna," the woman with ice magic quietly replied._

 _"Emma!" she suddenly heard Killian call out to her out of worry when he and David both appeared on the ground in front of the opening upon growing worried she hadn't come back out to them yet, then saw her standing with the magical being they believed to be causing all the trouble._

 _Emma quickly tried to keep them away, as she and Elsa both raised their arms to indicate for them to do so while she called back, "Stay back."_

 _However, David could only see Elsa as a threat, as he immediately pulled his service weapon out and aimed it at the stranger while he uttered, "Hey, hey, hey, hey!"_

 _"No, no, no," the Savior fearfully shouted out to them when the ground started to shake as Elsa suddenly began to lose control over her powers. "Stay back! It's okay. She's just trying to find…"_

 _David clicked back the hammer of his gun and attempted to shoot the other woman despite his daughter's pleas, then before she could finish, Elsa lost complete control of her magic because of her fear, and another ice wall shot up from the ground blocking the only opening between them and the two men who appeared as threats to her, like she appeared to them. While the shaking continued, Emma was suddenly struck hard by another wall and knocked to the ground. Elsa also fell while her sister's necklace was knocked from her hand, as it landed somewhere within the ice and snow far beyond her reach._

 _"Emma!" Killian fearfully cried out to her upon seeing Emma get hurt just as another wall barred his path to her, but before he could charge forward to help her, the trembling worsened while the walls only continued to grow until shards of ice shattered from above them as it all suddenly came crashing down on top of Hook and David, causing them both to fall hard against the ground when they became buried beneath her ice and snow._

Sometime later…

David awoke suddenly as he coughed and struggled to get his breathing back under control upon having the wind knocked out of him when the snow and ice struck him, then finally managed to pull himself free from the rubble. Once he was clear, he looked himself over to make sure he wasn't too badly hurt aside from feeling bruised and banged up a little. He then noticed his gun lying on the ground a few feet in front of him and bent down to pick it up. However, the moment he touched it, he swiftly remembered what happened. Emma had become trapped somewhere within the wall with the woman who conjured it, and he remembered Hook had been next to him when the ice and snow fell on top of them.

The sheriff alongside his daughter quickly turned and looked all around him for his friend also buried somewhere within the rubble while he worryingly shouted, "Hook! Hook!"

At last, David heard him begin to cough like he had when he first came to, then let out a gasp in pain when Killian struggled to pull himself out. The Prince rushed over to help him by shoving the bigger chunks of ice from off his back and legs, then helped him stand back on his feet. However, the Captain stumbled and nearly collapsed again when he did so until David caught him to help keep him upright, which was when he saw the large bleeding gash across the right side of his forehead, and realized why he was struggling to stand on his own. He was hurt and most likely had a concussion, or worse.

Charming looked at him in concern while he asked, "Hey… you with me, Hook? Can you see?"

"I'm fine," Killian weakly responded, then forcefully pushed David away from him and slowly raised his head to look up again at the wall where he remembered Emma becoming trapped within and knocked off her feet as well, possibly badly hurt. "Emma… We have to help her. We have… We have to get her out."

"Don't worry," the Savior's father assuredly answered him. "But you're hurt too. You're bleeding and you've got a pretty nasty gash over your forehead. You pushed me out of the way and took the majority of the impact from the ice fall, didn't you? Why?"

Hook started to shake his head until he realized it was a bad idea to do so upon growing dizzy again, then he replied, "Because… it was right. But it does… It doesn't matter. Emma could be hurt."

The Captain pulled a piece of cloth from one of his duster's pockets and tenderly pushed it up against the laceration to quickly try to stop the bleeding, but then he shoved it back inside the pocket again and started towards the ice wall to see if there was any way inside to get to Emma, until David grabbed his arm to hold him back.

 _Killian sternly uttered, "The device… Call her."_

 _"Emma, are you in there?" David then called out to his daughter worryingly over the walkie talkie, which he hoped she still had possession of the other she also had with her, only nothing but static came through._

 _"I'm getting her out," Hook immediately stated again and swiftly climbed through the ice rubble where the crevasse had been, then immediately started jabbing away at the rubble with his hook in an effort to knock it all loose so he could free the woman he loved._

 _When his struggle to do so didn't appear to be working, the Prince suggested, "What if we lift?"_

 _Unfortunately, their efforts together didn't do any better, so the pirate madly went back to jabbing away at the ice like before until Emma's father grabbed his arm to stop him again while Hook responded angrily, "Don't! We're not giving up."_

"If you don't stop doing that, you'll only wind up breaking your wrist and that won't help Emma either," David callously retorted in frustration.

"It's not like I have much of a wrist on this arm left to break after the bloody Crocodile cut most of it off along with my hand!" Hook shouted back at him. "At least I'm doing something to try to get Emma out! We can't stop."

 _Charming's eyes softened while he held Killian's arm more firmly to keep him from hurting himself further, then he answered, "We won't, but this is not getting us anywhere."_

 _The pirate Captain questioned less angrily, "Well, I'm open to suggestions."_

 _"Magic made this thing," the sheriff replied to him with assurance that they would find a way to save Emma. "I think we're gonna need magic to unmake it. And I'm not gonna stop fighting until we do."_

"We need to talk to Gold," David continued, once Killian finally relented and then followed him back down to the pavement of the road. "He might be the only one who can help us save her right now."

Hook nodded in agreement, then he responded, "You're right, mate. I'm sorry. It's just that I saw Emma get struck by that ice witch's magic as well. As I said… she might be hurt. At the very least, she's trapped inside of this monstrosity with her."

The Prince sighed and answered, "I know. But before all the ice fell… I saw fear in her eyes when we were trying to protect Emma. Not anger or cruelty. I was after all holding a gun on her. I just have a feeling that whoever she is, she doesn't really want to hurt anyone. My gut's telling me this was an accident."

"Either way, Emma's still in danger," Killian worryingly said. "She could freeze if we don't get her out soon."

"Come on then," David replied again more urgently, until Killian glanced down when a sudden glimmer caught his eye and he uneasily bent down to dig through the icy rubble so he could pull whatever it came from out.

Charming watched him as he did so, then curiously asked, "What is it?"

The Captain studied the snowflake shaped necklace and the jewel in its center while he responded, "Quite an exquisite necklace I've never seen Emma wear before. That snow witch must have dropped it. I could have sworn… I saw a glimmer of magic…"

"I recognize that necklace," the Prince suddenly interrupted him, as he reached out to take the necklace from his friend. "Emma was trying to tell us that woman was looking for something, or someone. And I think I know who. We don't need to talk to Gold."

"Well… who?" Hook questioned him in confusion.

David raised his head to look at him again and answered, "Someone who calls herself Bo Peep. And she won't be happy to see me."

Hook scoffed as he replied, "I used to know the feeling."


	7. Chapter 7

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Seven

Inside the sheriff's station…

Zelena sat alone on the cot within one of the cells, as she remembered doing the last time she had become the heroes' prisoner. However, the last time she became so, the Dark One walked in and attempted to kill her, very nearly succeeding. This time, the Wicked Witch feared more so that it would be her sister arriving before too long to finish Rumplestiltskin's efforts because of what she did to her and Robin, despite Regina's former claim she was one of the so called heroes. Zelena had seen the darkness in Regina's eyes after the snowman debacle. Even a hero can be pushed too far, especially one who was once a villain.

The Savior, Snow, and David left to return home not long after they checked in on her after the snow monster was destroyed, since Zelena had refused to even speak to them. Then, the power suddenly went out and the witch could see through the window closest to her cell that it wasn't just out inside the station, but all throughout the town. While the Wicked Witch rarely showed her fear outwardly, least of all in front of her enemies, she couldn't deny she was even more shaken by the blackout.

Unfortunately, Regina walked into the station just like Zelena predicted she would no more than five minutes after the power outage occurred, as she spoke out coldly through the dark saying, "Enjoying the blackout, sis? Tell me… how did you do it? How did you fake your death when Gold tried to kill you, then transport yourself through your time portal without Emma or the pirate seeing you?"

Like always, Zelena put up a brave and smug façade in order to mask her nervousness while she answered snidely, "This wasn't exactly the first time I've been forced to fake my death. I did so once before, back in Oz to fool a little girl from Kansas after she stole my life from me. A life that was destined to be mine. Let me tell you… faking my death for the Dark One, wasn't nearly as easy. It took a lot more strength and power than before. But it was so worth it. Just so I could see the look of loss on your face when your forest loving archer chose the true love of his life over you. I just wish I'd been able to carry out my wicked plan a bit longer. Once again, it appears I've underestimated you. Hello, Regina dear."

"You didn't answer the second part of my question," the younger woman curtly responded to her. "How did Emma and Hook not ever see you?"

"Because, only my life force passed through the portal not long before they did… after Gold destroyed my beautiful body when he stabbed me in this rotten cell," the Wicked Witch responded, as she raised her head in order to glance around the room the best she could within the dark. "Luckily for me, I figured out a way to split myself and my power from my body beforehand. I knew he would come seeking revenge after what I did to his son. As for how I became whole again, I murdered the real Marian in order to assume her form and I restored my own beauty. Except of course when I continued to pretend to be her, as dull and difficult as it might have been. Thanks to this little six leaf clover necklace from Oz I'm wearing around my neck."

She turned back to look at her sister as she then asked, "Are you going to let Gold know he failed to avenge his son? Or are you planning on killing me this time yourself?"

Regina lifted her hand and ignited a flame within the palm of her hand, then she smugly replied, "A part of me is begging my conscience to let me kill you. A big part of me. It's taking a lot of restraint to keep my hate towards you go just to spare your life, Zelena. But I'm going to resist and let you keep your life. I told you, I'm a hero now. And I don't plan on giving up everything I've worked so hard for, especially Henry… just to kill you. Even if I have lost Robin for good because of what you've done. As for Gold finding out… Well, it's only a matter of time before he will, but don't worry. By then, you'll be locked away down inside a cell in our psych ward beneath the hospital along with the rest of the criminals we've imprisoned. And I'll be kind enough to put up a protection spell over the door so that not only will he not be able to get in to kill you, but you won't be able to get out either."

"And just so you know…" the former Evil Queen added once she snuffed out the fire again. "Never mind."

"You could conjure up a forgetting potion for him, you know?" Zelena suddenly called out to her as Regina started to walk away from her. "And for his boy. You could make them forget everything and they would be all yours again."

Regina looked back at her while she answered, "As much as a forgetting potion might sound like the right thing to do, I've learned from experience that forgetting our pain is the wrong choice. The easy choice. Robin is much stronger than you clearly think he is. He'll get through this. And so will I."

She then continued more coldly, "It's like you said, sis. You've underestimated me and you'll do so again, and again."

"Are you just going to leave me here?" the Wicked Witch cried out after her.

"Right now, we have a crisis to solve!" the Mayor called back once she left the main room. "You'll be just fine!"


	8. Chapter 8

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Eight

Meanwhile…

Mary Margaret with Neal in his stroller, Granny, Leroy, and a few of the other dwarfs walked down to the power plant to see if there was anything they could do to get the power back up and running throughout town before a panic arose. Everyone was pretty much on edge and worried. Not because they feared the dark, but because nothing was currently working which made running Granny's Diner and other businesses impossible. Finally, the dwarfs started to complain they couldn't use their coffee makers, TVs, DVD players, music players, etc… which was when Snow couldn't take it anymore and suddenly shouted at them to stop their complaining.

Her friends walked off upon being scolded, leaving the Princess alone to deal with trying to get the power back up and running, or so she thought. Once the others were gone, Regina walked up from behind her stepdaughter in the dark after she had appeared just in time to hear Mary Margaret lose her patience, startling the younger woman as she spoke.

"I never thought I'd see the day when you of all people lost your patience with all your friends and completely snapped," Regina said snidely, then stopped moving when she was standing beside Mary Margaret. "But then we all do have our breaking points, don't we?"

"Regina… you scared me," the younger woman anxiously replied, as she laid her hand over her heart upon feeling it racing within her chest.

The Mayor shrugged as she ignited a fireball in her hand in order to help them both to see a little clearer in the dark and quickly apologized, "Sorry."

Mary Margaret then looked at her as she asked, "What are you doing here? The dwarfs said they couldn't find you anywhere and suddenly… temporarily elected me as Mayor so I could get the power back up and running. We've all been looking for you."

"I'm not in the mood to talk to anyone right now, so I've stayed away in order to try to figure things out," Regina answered her in frustration. "However, with the blackout… I figured I should at least do my job. I wasn't expecting I'd find you here."

"Please tell me you have some ideas because I certainly don't," the Princess nervously responded. "I would call David to help me, but he's busy investigating what caused this problem with our daughter. I haven't heard from either of them in awhile."

Regina sighed, then she replied, "I'm sure they'll contact you before too long. In the meantime, surely you and I can figure out how to get the power on again. Once we do, you can go back home so you can feed your baby, who… is starting to get a little fussy, and I can go back to ignoring you all again until I figure out some way to help Robin."

Mary Margaret looked down at her son still in his stroller as he quietly began fuss like Regina said he was, then she raised her head again to look at her friend and spoke in remorse saying, "Regina, I'm… so sorry about what's happened. With Marian and then Marian turning out to be Zelena… David and Emma told me and Henry what happened earlier when you were all fighting the snow monster in the woods. They also told me that you defeated it to save Marian, before you discovered she was really your sister. That couldn't have been easy, but it was the right thing to do."

"Don't I know it," the former Evil Queen answered her sternly. "After Marian arrived, I considered going down to get Sidney out of his cell so I could enlist him to help me find a way to get rid of her. But then, I realized Robin never would have forgiven me if I had. And I don't want him to hate me. Even if he had chosen to stay with his wife. Or… Zelena that is. And now that Marian is Zelena… Well, I still don't know what I'm going to do. I know she'll soon take up another of the cells beneath the hospital where she'll be locked away and unable to hurt any of us ever again, but what about Robin? And Roland? I can't even begin to imagine how sad he is upon learning that his mother isn't really here. He must be so confused. Both of them. I've tried calling Robin and leaving him messages on his phone I gave him a few days ago. He won't answer any of them though."

"Robin will come around and ask you for help, or at least to talk to you when he's ready to, Regina," the younger woman gently responded to her, with sympathy in her voice. "Just like we've had with you, you've got to have patience. Is there anything I can do? For you, I mean?"

Regina shook her head as she examined the electrical box and all the buttons and switches in front of them, then she replied, "No. Let's just do what we've come here to do. We should be able to get the power back on soon enough."

Back at the ice wall, inside its sealed crevasse…

Once the snow and ice settled, as the wall and the earth grew calm again, Elsa was the first one to get back to her feet, then rushed over to help the woman she had accidentally trapped there with her when she had lost control over her fear. Emma accepted her help, then once she too was back on her feet, she worryingly took a few steps back away from the woman with ice magic and raised a hand to her forehead upon feeling the pain from what would come to be bruise above her left eye.

Emma then looked back at Elsa when the other woman asked, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," the Savior sternly answered her, then lowered her hand away as she crossed her arms to begin rubbing them upon feeling the cold air grow even colder when she began to shiver. "Thank you. It's… Elsa, right?"

"Yes, that's right," Elsa apprehensively responded to her. "And you said your name was Emma? I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to trap you in here with me. I didn't mean to do any of this. I mean… I don't remember creating this wall, but then… my magic gets out of my control whenever I'm afraid, so I clearly did this without realizing I had. I didn't want to."

Emma looked into her eyes to see if she could see any signs of deception in them and saw none, then she gently replied, "It's okay. I believe you. And I understand. I kind of know what it's like to feel out of control of your powers too."

The woman from Arendelle looked at the Savior in surprise as she questioned, "You have magic too?"

"I do," the Savior answered her. "Not magic like yours, but in this town I'm known as the Savior. Because it was my destiny to save my family and loved ones from a curse… the dark curse. And it's my destiny to bring back everyone's happy endings. However, for the longest time, I denied who I was because I didn't want such a big responsibility. I'm sensing you're feeling kind of the same way. Aren't you?"

"I do feel that way," Elsa responded sadly. "Not for the same reasons per say, but I am the Queen of the Kingdom where my sister and I are from. Arendelle. And I do have a responsibility to protect my people. Only… sometimes, I feel like I do them more harm than I actually protect or lead them. Two years ago, I froze my entire Kingdom when I lost control over my powers before when everyone discovered I have this ice magic. Because I spent my whole life hiding it away from everyone, including my sister. It was an accident then too, but Anna helps me. She keeps me from losing control when I become afraid. Anna is the only one who can. That's why I have to find her. If we do, then she can help me break this wall down. I won't be able to without her and we'll remain trapped in here. But you'll freeze soon, and then I'll be all alone."

Emma realized Elsa must not be affected by the cold because it was a part of her powers upon seeing that she wasn't shivering like she was, then she nodded as she bent down to pick up the walkie talkie she dropped upon hearing static suddenly come over it, and stated again, "All right, then. If we're going to help you find your sister, then I need to try to get ahold of my father and Hook. My… friend, who were just on the other side of this wall before it caved in. They must be trying to get ahold of me now, but the static is… Well, the reception of these things is struggling to get through because of all this ice. If we can get in touch with them, they can track down your sister for us. If she's even here in Storybrooke. How did you get here? We've never seen you around before, or anyone like you that might be your sister."

While Emma continued to fiddle with the walkie, the Queen sadly replied, "That's just it… I don't really know how I got here, except… I came out of an urn that I was somehow trapped in. I'm just not sure how long, or how I ended up inside of it. I can't remember. Not even what might have happened to Anna. Coming out of that urn is the only thing I can remember since being back in Arendelle with my sister, when we were planning her wedding."

"Wait… you came out of an urn?" the Savior asked again, when she stopped to stare up at the other woman. "Was this urn old and made of gold by any chance?"

"You know it?" Elsa sternly questioned her, when she began to worry if this woman might have been the one who trapped her inside of it. "Did you cast me inside of it?"

The Savior quickly shook her head as she explained herself when she answered, "No… I promise… I would never do that. I don't even think I have that kind of magic to be able to do that if I wanted to. It's just… when we were in the past… You see, Hook and I were forced into a time portal that brought us into my parents' past. But that's a long story for another time. My point is… we were inside Rumplestiltskin's castle when Hook found this same urn I think you're talking about. It was one of the artifacts inside the dungeon where Rumplestiltskin… That's also a long story for another time. But I think that when we came back through the portal to come home, the urn must have come through with us."

The older woman nodded, though she still felt confused as she responded, "Then maybe this Rumplestiltskin person you mentioned was the one who put me inside the urn. I destroyed it with my magic after I was freed, but maybe someone here…"

"Might have the answers you're looking for?" Emma finished for her upon reading her mind. "If we can get out of here, we can talk to Rumplestiltskin himself because thankfully, he's here now in this time. After all… you said you found your sister's necklace inside a shop filled with things just before the wall caved in. That would be his shop."

"I'm trying… to get this radio to work," she added when Emma continued to struggle with the walkie again, still getting nothing but static and she began to fear that either Killian or her father might have been hurt when the collapse occurred. "They might have been hurt. I pray to God, they're okay."

Elsa looked at her sadly, then she whispered, "I am so sorry, Emma. I never meant for any of this to happen. I never wanted to hurt you, or your family and friends. I just wanted to find Anna. I'm afraid for her too."

The Savior nodded upon feeling her body grow even colder than before, then she said quietly, "It's going… going to be all… all right, Elsa. We're going to get out… out of here. My family… always finds a way. We sa… save each other. And we don't give up. We can help you find Anna… too. I promise."


	9. Chapter 9

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Nine

Once Hook reluctantly followed after David and got into the passenger's side of his patrol car, the sheriff began to drive them back into town while he spoke to try to explain to Killian what he had figured out upon seeing the necklace now tucked inside of his jacket pocket saying, "A long time ago, I met a young woman, who called herself Joan back then. She was nervous about coming across the wrong people while she was on some… 'secret mission' she called it. I sensed her name wasn't Joan, but I didn't push her to tell me who she really was. She mentioned she was friends with an old friend of mine back when I was still a shepherd, then I noticed the ring on her finger and I knew she and my friend were engaged. That she wasn't a threat and we quickly became friends too. She later taught me to swordfight and gave me the courage I needed to defeat an enemy threatening to steal mine and my mother's farm away from us. I owe her still to this day."

Killian glanced over at him as he asked, "Are you saying, you believe the woman who wore that necklace I found and your friend are one in the same? That she might be who the woman who trapped Emma inside that bloody ice wall is looking for?"

"I believe so, yes," David responded worryingly when he briefly turned his head to look over at his friend as well. "And if we can find her, we can help Emma and whoever that woman is trapped inside with her. You know… Joan mentioned she had a sister back in the Kingdom where they and my other friend are from. I'll bet you anything this woman with ice magic and Joan are sisters."

"Great," the pirate replied out of frustration, since he was really only concerned about the woman he loved, more than reuniting the woman who had hurt Emma with her long lost family even if it was to try to help Emma. "So… who are we going to see now then? Her sister isn't here in Storybrooke, is she?"

The Prince shook his head while he answered, "I don't think so. I've never seen her before. But then… if she isn't, then how did this other woman get here? We're going to go talk to that old enemy of mine. She is here in Storybrooke. She runs the butcher shop in town. I'm going to need your help, Hook. Because believe me, she won't be happy to see me."

Hook looked over at his friend again, then responded, "So you said. Let's do this then. I just want to get Emma out. I don't care what you want me to do."

"I believe this shop has a backdoor, like most of the shops do," Charming then replied once they finally arrived back in town, as the sheriff stopped the car just down the road from Bo Peep's shop and got out like Killian had also. "Go around back and wait there just in case she attempts to run after I go inside. And if there's any trouble… back me up."

"Sounds like a solid plan," Killian answered him in agreement, then walked off in order to do like he asked, while the sheriff walked inside the Chop Shop through the front door.

 _The moment David entered, the woman behind the counter wearing a dirty, bloodied apron, white coat, and a hairnet as she was busy cutting up a chunk of meat with a clever in her hands, raised her head to see who had come in to see her, then stopped chopping as she stated snidely, "_ _Sorry, lambkins. We're closed."_

 _The Prince approached her as she began to cut into the meat again, when he sternly responded, "I need your help."_

 _"You and me… We ain't friends," Bo retorted again, then motioned for him to walk out with the clever still in her hand. "I'm not interested. Get out."_

 _David sighed in frustration, then confidently replied, "You don't have your helpers here with you anymore, Peep."_

 _She glared at him and raised the clever in her hand again while she answered, "Right. I just have one. Say hello."_

 _"Don't do it," Killian crossly demanded of her, when he suddenly came up behind the woman from the back room as he swiftly grabbed her hand she was holding the clever in with his hook and held her arm with his only hand to stop her from attacking his friend upon seeing he was in trouble._

 _"Now… my daughter's in trouble and I need to find the person that can help her…" the sheriff demanded of her again, as he pulled the clever from her hand and dropped it on the counter behind him, then David swiftly shoved Bo Peep back against the wall behind her to hold her there in place firmly by her arms. "Someone you branded."_

 _The former warlord glared at him again while she responded cruelly, "I branded a lot of people."_

 _David continued, "Her name was…. Well, she went by 'Joan' back then."_

 _Peep questioned snidely, "Do I look like I keep a record book? 'Cause I don't."_

 _"Then you know what I need," David replied, and then without taking his eyes off of the woman he was still holding, he called out to his friend now waiting by behind him as he asked him to grab the woman's crook. "Hook… back room. She won't keep it far from her. You're looking for a Shepherd's crook."_

 _"Hey," the former villainess uttered angrily as she struggled to break free, when she watched the pirate walk into the back room again to steal her possession like David asked him to do. "Hey! That's my personal property. Give it up!"_

 _The Prince finally let go of her, then he stated, "Sorry."_

 _Bo Peep looked back at him again as she questioned cruelly again, "Ah… so in this world, you're a hero?"_

 _"In this world, I don't have to answer to you," David answered her, then he turned away and started walking back towards his friend to follow Killian out of the shop. "Let's go find Joan. Hook?"_

 _However, the Captain stopped upon hearing the voice of the woman who trapped Emma inside the ice wall suddenly come over the walkie talkie at last, as Killian pulled it out of his duster's pocket and then looked back at David with fear in his eyes, while David spoke out again when he asked, "Hook?"_

 _Hook raised his eyes to look at Charming again while he responded worryingly, "It's that woman, Elsa. She said Emma's passed out. She's freezing to death."_

"Are you still there?" the woman with ice magic called out to him again through the talking device, despite the static still breaking her up slightly. "Emma's in… and out of consciousness. You have to… hurry."

"We're working on it," Killian replied to her as he held the button down on the walkie to talk back. "We're on our way back to you now. Is Emma awake? Can I talk to her? Just so I can hear her voice."

All of a sudden, a bunch of static came through again, until Emma's voice finally sounded as she spoke faintly saying, "Kill… Killian? I'm he… I'm here. It's so… so cold."

While Hook followed after David as they both rushed out of the shop to get back into the car so they could drive back to the ice wall, the man in love with the Savior continued to speak with her as he answered, "Emma… I'm coming. You're father and I… we're both coming. We are on our way back to you now. You have to hold on. For me."

"I'm try… trying," she weakly responded to him. "I know… you'll find a way to get… to get me out of… here. Me and Elsa. She didn't mean… to do this. She's afraid. You need to find… her sister. Anna. Killian?"

"I know," Killian replied with fear in his voice, while Emma's voice grew fainter and fainter. "We have a way, Swan. Please… stay with me."

More static sounded and when Emma didn't answer him any longer, he turned to look at David again while he pleaded, "Hurry… She needs us now."

Charming nodded as he answered, "We will save her, Hook. I promise."


	10. Chapter 10

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Ten

"Whatever you're thinking, mate… it had better work to knock that wall down so we can get Emma out of there," Killian said to David again after silence had fallen over them until they were just about back at the town line, while he continued to grasp tightly to the crook in his hand. "Because I doubt this shepherd's crook has the kind of power we need to do that. How is it going to help us?"

"It has a different kind of power actually, but its power isn't necessarily why we took it from Peep," Emma's father answered him worryingly. "At least not to use to break the ice wall down. I need you to trust me, Hook. I believe Elsa will be able to break through her ice, if she trusts we have a way to find her sister."

The pirate Captain sighed and then he replied quietly, "I trust you, David. Though I'm not sure I have enough faith in this stranger who endangered Emma in the first place. Certainly not the kind of faith in her you have."

As they finally arrived back at the wall and then quickly got out of the car to rush over to it again, David glanced back at his friend while he responded, "Well, we're about to find out which of us is right. Try calling her again over the walkie."

"Emma?" Killian pleaded with the woman he loved through the device now in his hand once he handed the crook back to David, so he could pull the walkie talkie from his pocket again to be able to call her. "Emma… please come in."

"Hey!" a female's voice suddenly called out to the men, when Ruby once again wearing her red cloak, came rushing out of the woods surrounding the town line like Hook had appeared among Emma and David earlier that evening, startling both David and Killian as the Prince immediately shined his flashlight straight on the shapeshifter until they discovered who she was and then lowered it again, while she came over to join them. "Sorry… I was just going for a final run in the woods in my wolf form before I leave town in the morning. At least… until I came upon this ice wall that goes all the way around. Where did it come from?"

David raised his flashlight again to shine it at the wall while he answered her, "From the woman who is currently trapped inside one of its crevasses with Emma. She's a stranger to Storybrooke and she might have caused this, but I don't believe she's a threat."

Hook looked between them while he replied more urgently, "None of that matters right now! Only getting to Emma matters."

"You're right," Charming responded to the Captain with a nod of his head, then he reached out to take the talking device back from him again so he could continue to try to talk with the sister of his friend he knew years ago. "Emma? Emma… can you hear me? Elsa? Are you there? Please answer. I need you to trust us right now."

"I'm afraid Emma's too cold to talk," Elsa fearfully answered him at last, when it was her voice that came over the walkie instead of Emma's. "I'm trying to keep her awake, but she's… she's freezing cold. Have you found Anna yet? Please tell me you're here."

 _The sheriff looked at Killian again worryingly and then spoke through the radio to the Queen of Arendelle saying, "We're here._ _Elsa… Listen to me. I need you to find a way out."_

 _Elsa looked down sadly at the woman slowly freezing to death beside her while she worryingly replied, "I need Anna."_

 _"Well… we don't have her right now, but we have a way to find her," David responded to her again, as both Killian and Ruby fretfully kept their eyes on the Prince trying to get through to the woman with ice magic. "And we will, but right now, you're gonna have to do this on your own."_

 _"I can't control this," she continued sadly from inside the ice._

 _Charming lowered his head and stared down out in front of him to avoid looking over at the worried faces beside him, while he calmingly answered, "I know how you feel. Y… You're trapped. It's a battle you can't win, but it's exactly the kind of battle you have to fight. Or you'll die."_

 _Elsa shook her head as she replied sternly, "No, I won't. I'll survive. But Emma…"_

 _"Survival isn't enough," the Prince responded again more confidently upon remembering something the Queen's sister had told him back when he had known her, that had stuck with him all these years. "You have to live."_

 _"Where did you hear that?" the woman he was speaking with asked him in surprise upon hearing her sister's own words quoted to her through someone else._

 _David assuredly answered her, "You know where."_

 _Elsa then questioned, "Anna? You knew her?"_

 _"Yeah, I did," he replied to her again. "She helped me once, a long time ago, become who I am. She saved my life and yours, and now I need you to save Emma's. I didn't know much about Anna, but… She wouldn't want you to live alone in an ice cave, which is where you'll be if you don't melt that ice. Now do it!"_

 _Elsa began to breathe heavily in and out as her own fear threatened to consume her, but she lowered her eyes to look down at Emma again while the younger woman was struggling to keep her eyes open and on her as well. Then at last, the Queen from Arendelle stood up again in front of the wall before her, as she raised her hands to summon her magic within her in order to break the ice away enough so she could free Emma and herself. Emma weakly sat up once Elsa's powers suddenly began to flow from her hands, although she struggled against the ice that didn't appear to want to give way, still not knowing that it wasn't her powers which created the giant ice wall in the first place. However, she finally blasted through the ice when a small hole began to open up within it, just large enough for her and Emma to crawl through to get back to her family._

 _"It's working," Killian stated anxiously when he saw the ice begin to give way at Elsa's efforts, then he bent down to look through the opening in the ice so he could see inside and saw the woman he loved again at last, as he swiftly called out to her. "I can see her. Emma!"_

 _As quickly as she was able, Elsa helped Emma to get out off the cave as they both crawled through the hole, then once the Savior reached the outer end of the tunnel, Killian and David immediately reached out to help pull her through the rest of the way while Killian cried out in relief, "Emma!"_

 _As he did so, David anxiously said to Hook again, "Let's get her home. Warmed up."_

 _Emma's legs immediately collapsed beneath her as she struggled to stand up again in front of him once she was finally freed, although Killian swiftly pulled her into his arms and tightly held her while they embraced one another. She reached up to lay her hand over the back of his head feeling her own sense of relief to see him again as well._

 _"Are you okay?" the Captain asked the woman he loved again softly while he continued holding her against him, attempting to offer her as much of his body heat and his strength as he could, as she could only nod in order to assure him she was alright until she collapsed against him again, before Killian picked her up into his arms so he could carry her back to the patrol car._

 _"You did it," David then spoke to Elsa proudly once he and Ruby helped the other woman out of the ice as well. "You saved her."_

 _The Queen smiled at them at first, until she remembered it was her fault Emma almost died and she sadly responded, "Yes, I did. But I also endangered her. You owe me nothing."_

 _The Prince looked at her with assurance and gratitude in his eyes as he answered her, "I owe your sister everything, and what I said was true. She helped me, and now I'm gonna help you. This isn't over. We're gonna find Anna."_

"Thank you," Elsa replied to him in gratitude as well while she laughed in relief, then looked over at the dark haired woman with them once Ruby started to help her down until they were all safely back on the solid road again. "All of you."

"You're welcome," David responded, but then quickly raced back to the wall upon remembering they still needed the shepherd's crook, which he had leaned up against the ice earlier so he could help his daughter, and grabbed it before he raced back to join the others already inside the car that Emma had struggled to start despite her shivering, since Hook didn't know how to, so she could turn on the heat to try to get it warmed up. "We're going back to our place so we can get you warmed up, Emma. Hold on. And then, Elsa… we can talk about how we're going to begin looking for your sister. And we will find her. I promise."

Once they arrived back at the Charmings' apartment that was dark since the power was still out, Killian immediately began to care for Emma as he sat her down in the most comfortable cushioned chair within the loft and tenderly wrapped multiple blankets around her with David's help to try to warm her up more than the heat in the patrol car had begun to do. He then sat down on the floor beside her and rubbed her hands the best he could with his one, while Henry offered to make her some hot cocoa with cinnamon. Emma quickly apologized to her son for not being able to help him much earlier, as he assured her it was fine and that he was going to be okay.

Killian wrapped his arm around Emma's shoulders to hold her against him again, while the Savior looked up at him worryingly upon finally noticing the gash continuing to bleed out a little on the right side of his forehead, then she reached out from beneath the blankets to tenderly touch his head as she asked softly, "Are you alright? What happened?"

The pirate who loved her gently shook his head and assured her, "I'm fine, love. It's nothing. Really. Your father and I were both a little banged up when the ice came crashing down over us, just as you were. I'm far more concerned about you right now."

"Killian?" she whispered again out of frustration because of his lack of interest in caring for himself like he always was.

"Hook actually pushed me out of the way when the ice crashed down on top of us, so he ended up taking the brunt of the fall," David sternly answered for him, as Ruby walked over to them with a first aid kit in her hands and set it down on the floor beside her when she knelt down so that she could begin to treat both of her friends, while David remained standing nearby with Elsa. "He never let his pain get in his way while he worked to help get you out of there, Emma. I haven't said it yet, but I'm grateful for what you did tonight, Hook. For Emma. And me too."

Killian simply nodded as he glanced up at the Prince again, then retuned his focus on Emma while he continued to rub her shoulders for more warmth. At last, the power suddenly came back on again and as it did, David quickly walked into the other room a moment to get the heater, then brought it out so he could set it down in front of Emma to continue to help her warm up.

The Savior quickly thanked him, then she turned her head to look up at Elsa as she asked her, "Elsa… are you alright?"

Elsa nodded, until she looked between them again as she replied, "Actually… I'm still worried about Anna. How did I wind up here, if she didn't? If she didn't, of course. And if she isn't here, then how are we going to find her? I've lost her necklace too."

"Hook found it actually," David responded, while he pulled the jewelry from his jacket pocket and handed the necklace over to the Queen. "In the snow after the wall's collapse."

"Thank you," their new friend happily whispered when she took it back from him. "I'm so happy I still have it. But how do we find Anna?"

David walked over to pick up the crook he had laid against one of the posts and came back over to her while he answered, "We'll find her with this. The woman whom this belongs to used to use it to brand those she terrorized in our land before we came here so she would always be able to find them, no matter where they were if they tried to run or hide from her. When I knew Joan… or Anna rather, Bo Peep branded her too. I used it to find Anna once. We can do so again."

 _He handed it over to the Queen and told her to look within the center of the crook where it curved as she thought about Anna, but when nothing appeared to happen, Elsa stated, "I don't see anything."_

 _"It should work," the Prince replied with a sigh._

 _"Is it broken?" Hook asked him with concern._

 _Elsa looked between them worryingly as she questioned, "Or does it mean something happened to her?"_

 _"Wait…" Emma then stated upon hearing the softest sound she had ever heard coming from within the center of the crook. "What's that sound?"_

 _"Is that a heartbeat?" the Queen asked again after they all listened harder, then began to hear a steady heartbeat coming from the magical staff as well._

 _David smiled as he responded, "It is."_

 _The Savior looked at her friend again as she continued, "We might not know where your sister is… But we know the most important thing."_

 _"She's alive," Elsa finished for her, with relief in her voice, just as Mary Margaret returned home with Neal in her arms._

 _"Who's alive?" the Princess asked curiously as she walked in the door, then looked surprised when she noticed the woman she didn't know standing beside her husband with a shepherd's crook in her hands. "Oh… Who are you?"_

 _David immediately answered her, "Uh… this is Elsa. We're gonna find her sister. That's what this family does. We find people. We always do, because we really… really don't like to give up."_

He looked at his wife again and added, "Elsa… this is Mary Margaret. My wife and our son, Neal. Emma's our daughter. Hook and Ruby are good friends, and Henry here… he's Emma's son."

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you," the Queen from Arendelle replied in sincerity. "I may not have my sister here with me, but I am grateful to have found you."

"Welcome to Storybrooke," Ruby responded and smiled, as did everyone else too.


	11. Chapter 11

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Eleven

The next morning, Emma, Elsa, and Ruby all stood again in front of the ice wall at the town line so that the woman with ice magic could try to pull it down, so Storybrooke's inhabitants wouldn't remain trapped. The Savior's body temperature was at last back to normal and thankfully she was lucky not to have caught even a cold from last night's experience. They hoped to begin their search for Anna now that it was all behind them, but they hoped to fix the more urgent matter first. However, when the Queen of Arendelle raised her hands to do so upon igniting her powers, she strained in her efforts and unlike being able to break away just enough of the ice so she and Emma could escape, her magic strangely couldn't finish the job.

When she finally stopped trying and lowered her hands, Elsa stared up at the ice wall in confusion as she spoke worryingly saying, "I don't understand. My magic should be able to knock this wall down. Even last night, it took a lot more effort for me to break through what little I could. I didn't think about it much then, but the strain was so much worse just now. Ever since Anna saved me, I've known that love is what I have to think about when I want to remain in control of my magic. Unless of course I'm scared, like I've been since I got to this world. But I'm not really so afraid anymore since I met all of you and you've helped me too. And I'm thinking about my love for Anna, so this wall shouldn't still be here."

Emma thought through Elsa's words, then she at last replied sternly, "Usually, something like this might happen because it's someone else's magic casted in the first place. It can be very difficult to break another's spell sometimes. Does your sister have the same magic as you, Elsa?"

"No," the Queen honestly responded out of concern. "Anna has no powers. I was born with them myself, but I was the only one in my family. I never understood why, but that's all I know. She couldn't have done this."

"Well... let's return to the loft and see if we can't figure out some other way to break all this ice down," Emma answered in frustration, until Ruby suddenly reached out to grab her arm when her friend started to turn back towards her bug so they could leave.

When she saw Ruby was trying to sniff out something only she could smell when she appeared to have caught a strange scent, the Savior questioned her, "What is it, Ruby? What do you smell?"

Little Red Riding Hood continued to smell the air around her, as she started to lead the others into the woods while she replied, "I think there's someone else here. I caught the same scent here last night too, but I didn't think too much of it. It faded away before. Now… it's lingering. I think… I think whoever I'm smelling is watching us."

"I don't smell anything," Elsa whispered to Emma, while Ruby continued to lead them deeper through the forest surrounding them. "How…?"

"Ruby is part wolf," Emma quietly responded to her when she understood what her friend was asking. "She can transform into one during a full moon when she's not wearing her red cloak, and her sense of smell is… beyond words, really."

Without looking back at them, Red stated again, "We're close. Whoever it is… they don't want to be found."

The Savior pulled out her service weapon just to be cautious. However, before she or Elsa could do anything, a blast of ice magic came from out of nowhere as it suddenly struck Ruby in her head, causing her to fly back through the air until she collapsed heavily against the ground unconscious.

Emma and Elsa immediately rushed over to her as the Savior fearfully cried, "Ruby!"

"Ruby, please… please be okay," Emma continued to plead with her. "Where the hell did that come from?"

"From whoever else has magic like mine," the Queen worryingly answered her, while she looked around them for any sign of someone else nearby. "You were right, Emma. Someone does possess the same magic I do. And whoever they are, must have been the one to build up the ice wall around your Kingdom. I always thought I was the only one who possessed this kind of magic."

The Savior turned Ruby's head to her side as she noticed ice crystals beginning to form in her hair and felt her skin was ice cold to her touch, then she replied again, "We need to get Ruby to the hospital. Or to Regina. Hopefully she can help her."

While the Savior quickly sent a text message out to Regina pleading with the woman she knew was still angry with her to come, Elsa responded, "When we were children, I accidentally struck my sister in her head with my magic once too. I couldn't help her, but the rock trolls could and Grandpabbie said that the head is much easier to heal than the heart. I think your friend can be saved… if this other friend of yours can figure out how to help her."

"Can you look after her for me?" Emma then asked of the Queen once she finished sending her message off to her friend, as well as one to her parents just in case Regina ignored her. "Just for a few minutes while I see if whoever did this is still out there somewhere. I have to try. If you hear someone call out for me in the next two minutes, it'll be Regina and you can trust her."

"Be careful," her new friend answered her with a nod, then watched Emma walk further into the woods with her gun still raised in search of Ruby's assailant.

The Savior had been gone for almost the whole two minutes, when another voice suddenly called out her name in the distance crying, "Miss. Swan? Are you out here?"

Elsa was about to call back for Emma, until she immediately came running back to her friends she left behind while she shouted back, "We're over here, Regina! Hurry!"

"What the hell happened?" the former Evil Queen asked Emma out of concern, when she swiftly came running over to them once she found them from where she had poofed out to the town line upon receiving Emma's urgent message.

"Someone else with ice magic used her power to hurt Ruby while she was tracking the real threat to our town… after Ruby caught her scent," Emma replied worryingly, as she looked back and forth between her and her unconscious friend. "I tried to find her attacker myself, but whoever it was, they're long gone now. Thank you for coming, Regina. Can you help Ruby?"

Regina waved her own magic over Ruby to try to get a sense of the power that had hurt her, while the dark haired woman sternly responded, "Perhaps… But we should get her back to my office. That way, I can try to get a better sense of what's been done to her."

She then looked up at Elsa and suspiciously questioned, "Who are you?"

"It's okay," the Savior quickly answered her as she looked between the women. "This is Elsa. She's a friend. Her magic's similar to that which struck Ruby, but she didn't do this. And I'm beginning to think she wasn't the one who built this ice wall surrounding our town either."

"I guess we can figure that all out later," the Mayor finally stated, as she reached down to lay her hands over the woman lying still on the ground. "Grab my shoulder, Emma. Elsa… was it? Take Emma's arm or her shoulder too. I'm going to poof us back to my office. I've got Red."


	12. Chapter 12

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Twelve

Within seconds, the women all appeared inside the Mayor's office and together, she and Emma lifted Ruby off the floor between them so they could lead her over to the couch, then carefully laid her down on top of it. Regina then waved her hands over Ruby again and continued to use her own magic to examine the young woman. Unfortunately, it was in that time when Leroy and Happy walked into the office in search of the woman in charge, then they stood still out of concern upon seeing Ruby lying unconscious as she slowly continued to freeze over, as well as the woman they had just barely caught a glimpse of when Elsa had frozen their van two nights before.

"Red?" Grumpy uttered sternly as he and Happy stared down at her, until he raised his eyes to glare up at Elsa. "You! You did this to her. Didn't you?"

"Leroy… no," Emma attempted to object to his accusation, but he didn't really hear her once he suddenly began to shout out to everyone around, as he and the other dwarf swiftly turned and ran from the room.

"Ice witch!" Grumpy and Happy both cried out in anger. "There's an ice witch inside the Mayor's office. We're under attack!"

Elsa looked between Emma and Regina again in concern after they were gone as she questioned, "Are they trying to round up a small army so they can try to hurt me?"

The Savior walked past her in order to leave after the dwarfs while she frustratingly responded, "Not if I can help it. Don't worry. Leroy doesn't mean anything by it. He's just the town crier and alerts anybody and everybody whenever he thinks there's trouble. Just stay here with Regina and Ruby. I'll take care of everyone else."

"So… Emma said you have ice magic too?" the former Evil Queen then asked the Queen of Arendelle once they were left alone, as she continued to work. "But you didn't do this, or know who might have?"

"That's right," the blonde wearing her haired pulled back into a long braid nervously answered her. "I promise… I mean no one here any harm. I did create that snow monster yesterday, but it was an accident. I was scared and I don't have control over my magic when I am, unless my sister's around to help calm me down. Until last night, when David and Emma both helped me too. Only, now there's someone else out there like me and she's the one who hurt your friend. I'm so sorry."

Regina finally cut off her magic again, then looked over at the other woman curiously as she replied, "Maybe you can help me save Ruby after all. You might not have struck her, but you do have similar magic to this… other ice witch, whoever she is. Can you summon your power into your palm for me?"

Elsa stated yes, as she did like the Mayor asked and emitted her magic in the palm of her hand, holding it for Regina long enough to study her power too, then Regina smiled as she responded, "There is a strong difference in your magic and whoever's it was that hurt Ruby. But there's just enough of a similarity too, that I think I might be able to create a spell that can pull the magic placed inside of her out. Now that I know exactly what I'm looking for."

She was about to begin, when all of a sudden, Granny came running into the room as fast as she was able to after having heard from Grumpy that her granddaughter had been hurt, and upon seeing Ruby lying unconscious she cried out, "Ruby? Regina… what happened to her?"

"Did you do this, ice witch?" the old woman then asked Elsa cruelly, when she raised her head again to glare up at her after she knelt down on the floor beside her only family. "What have you done to my Ruby?"

"She didn't do anything, Granny," Emma swiftly answered for both Elsa and Regina when she came running back inside the room, followed closely by both of her parents. "It was someone else we believe to be much more dangerous than Elsa. I saw it with my own eyes. Elsa hasn't hurt anyone."

While Regina pulled the woman back so she could continue to help the girl wearing her red cloak, Granny retorted coldly, "I don't really care. Please… just help her."

Elsa spoke to the grandmother in concern saying, "Regina is about to try. She thinks she might be able to remove the ice magic from within her. I've seen it removed before. It is possible. I'm so sorry."

"Regina?" Mary Margaret questioned her friend and stepmother worryingly, once she began to do all she could for Ruby while she conjured her own power to try to remove the ice from within Little Red Riding Hood.

"It's going to take… some time," the former Evil Queen sternly uttered, just as Killian walked into the room and moved to stand beside Emma while he watched the scene before him without questioning what had happened. "I need to concentrate."

Regina's purple magic at last entered inside the young woman lying before her on the couch while she focused on trying to heal Ruby by removing the icy magic through one of her spells. A few minutes passed in silence that had fallen over all those within the room while they waited, then at last, magic consisting of what appeared as snowflakes suddenly began to rise up from Ruby's head, and the freeze that had covered her body and hair moments before finally lifted away.

Once the icy magic vanished by the time Regina finished, Ruby suddenly gasped as she awoke and struggled to get her breathing under control while she looked around her, until her eyes stopped on her grandmother, then they smiled at one another before Red finally sat up to wrap her arms around the old woman, as Granny did the same.

Emma, Mary Margaret, Elsa, and David all smiled at the Mayor, as Mary Margaret said happily, "You did it, Regina. That was amazing."

Regina smiled, feeling a little less proud of herself than everyone else, then she replied quietly, "I guess I did. Thank goodness."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Granny finally stated as well, when she stood up from the floor with Ruby's help and reached out to take Regina's hands to show her gratitude. "If there's anything you ever need…"

"That won't be necessary," the Mayor interrupted her. "I'm just glad I could help. It looks like what Elsa here said was true about the head being easier to heal. Let's hope no one's struck by this icy power in their heart."

The older woman then turned back to face Elsa again while she continued, "And you… I am sorry for accusing you of hurting Ruby before. Is it true, that there's another ice witch out there with powers like yours?"

The Queen from Arendelle nodded as she regretfully responded, "It appears so. We didn't actually see them, but we saw their magic strike Ruby from out of nowhere. Whoever they are."

"Which is why, I'm going to head back out into the woods to see if I can find them," the Savior answered crossly, then started towards the door to leave.

"That's an excellent idea, Swan," Killian replied while he followed behind her, until Emma stopped as she turned to face him.

Even though a part of her wanted him to come with her, an even bigger part of her was more afraid of him getting hurt again like he had protecting her father from the cave in, as a sudden crippling fear of losing him had sparked inside of her, so instead she spoke to him in frustration saying, "No. Listen, Hook… I need you to stay here with Elsa to look after her for me. Or better yet… take her to the sheriff's station and keep your eyes on her there for her own protection. All of us know Elsa's not a threat to us, but I haven't had the chance to catch the dwarfs, whom I'm sure are still trying to spread the word she's dangerous. The town's going to want her head by now."

Killian glanced over at the woman from Arendelle, then turned back to Emma again as he brusquely responded, "You shouldn't go off on your own to chase after this witch, especially not after you nearly froze to death because of her just last night, Swan. I prefer to come with you."

"No!" retorted suddenly out of objection, as she looked at him in anger. "Can't you just do as I say? Stay with Elsa. I mean it, Hook."

"Don't worry," David then said to Killian, once Emma finally just walked away before he could say anything more to her. "I'll look after her."

Killian reluctantly nodded and watched him walk out after the woman he loved, then he turned to look over at Elsa and motioned for her to follow him when he too started to leave Regina's office. Elsa did so without argument, as she could see that this man who was looking after her now, the same man who had fought to save Emma the night before from the ice, deeply loved the woman who had become her new friend after they had been trapped together.

 _However, the longer they walked, the more eager Elsa was becoming to wish to help herself as well, instead of hiding out from everyone else, but before she could object to following after him any further when they continued to make their way between buildings thinking that he was leading her towards the station like Emma asked of him, Killian raised his hand to hold her back a moment as he checked to make sure they were safe to continue on while he spoke cautiously saying, "_ _Wait. All right. Coast is clear."_

 _The Captain with one hand and a hook for the other continued on as he stepped out onto the sidewalk and she followed him out, but she finally stopped walking after him, which Hook noticed from the corner of his eye when he glanced towards her direction, then he turned to face her while he uttered, "That means go, love."_

 _"I'm not coming with you," Elsa firmly answered. "There's someone out there with powers like mine. I need to find out who. I… I can't just hide out in some sheriff's station."_

 _"Oh… Well, that works out quite nicely then," Killian replied to her in understanding upon feeling the same way. "Cause that's not where we're going."_

 _Elsa then looked at him in surprise and confusion as she questioned, "It's not?"_

 _Hook glanced to his right down the street, until he turned back to the woman behind him again while he responded crossly, "With Emma running into danger? Not a chance in hell. And the sheriff's station's that way."_

 _"And what's that way?" the Queen asked him, when she looked in the opposite direction towards where they were heading._

 _"With any luck… danger," he then answered with a smirk on his face, then at last they continued walking together again while Elsa followed right behind him, surprised, yet pleased by the pirate's decision to walk towards danger in order to protect the woman he loved._

Meanwhile, out in the woods once again…

Emma and David carefully searched the vast area surrounding where Ruby had been attacked earlier that morning for any sign of the second individual with ice magic like Elsa possessed while they talked, then at last and much to Emma's surprise, her father finally asked her, "So… what was that between you and Hook earlier back in Regina's office? Did something happen between you too since last night? Everything between you seemed really good when he finally left to return to his room at Granny's."

Not really wanting to discuss whatever she might be feeling towards Killian with her father, Emma frustratingly replied, "Nothing's going on. We're fine."

"You really didn't seem so fine," the Prince responded again. "You snapped at him like he offended you in some way. Did he say, or do anything that hurt you?"

"What?" she questioned, becoming shocked by his accusation that the man who had fought like hell to save her and had given up so much for her, could actually hurt her by a few words or a single cruel action short of him actually abandoning her when she needed him more than she yet realized. "No… of course not. Look, Dad… I overreacted earlier. I'm not really sure why, except maybe I just was worried about him getting hurt like Ruby was. I mean… Hook did get hurt last night protecting you. I promise you, we're fine."

David nodded in understanding, then he answered, "All right… if you say so. It looks like Ruby's attacker is nowhere to be found. I'm sure they're still in Storybrooke of course, but… not anywhere around here."

However, it was then he and Emma both noticed a small tent set up within a clearing in the trees, and he sternly added, "But it looks like coming out here wasn't a total loss. Maybe whoever is inside saw something you missed while you were helping Ruby."

A few minutes later, the Savior and her father were meeting a young man who used to be a part of Robin Hood's merry men, who went by the name, Will Scarlet. At first, Will wasn't much in the mood to help out two sheriffs by giving them any information, especially after admitting to them he was nothing more than a thief like Robin Hood had been. But after a little motivation, he finally gave them some helpful information after all, including a confession that he had seen Ruby's attack as well, but not her attacker. He also had information that tipped them off to the ice cream shop, where the ice cream inside had remained frozen solid during the several hours the power had been out the night before during the blackout.

The sheriffs finally attempted to cuff his hands for theft of stolen goods, especially after David noticed a stolen pocket watch belonging to a friend of his hanging out of Scarlet's coat pocket. However, Will suddenly managed to knee David hard enough in the stomach until he collapsed to the ground, then immediately he took off running when Emma helped her father instead of chasing after him. The ice wall went all the way around Storybrooke and was preventing anyone from leaving, so they both knew Will wouldn't be able to escape and therefore they didn't feel the need to chase after him any longer. Instead, they both returned to town so they could look into the mystery around the thief's ice cream shop theory.

Inside Gold's Pawnshop…

The Dark One was looking down at the gears of an old clock that had stopped working through a magnifying glass as he attempted to fix it, when Hook eventually walked inside followed closely by a woman Gold had never seen in Storybrooke before. Yet having learned of his shop having been broken into and having a necklace stolen from him, as well as hearing about the ice wall surrounding their town after he and Belle returned from their honeymoon at the Sorcerer's mansion, he suspected this mysterious woman had something to do with it all, and the early winter that had come to Storybrooke.

Elsa then stood back and began to study the curious artifacts and books she had only glanced at when she had broken in the night before to take back her sister's necklace, while Killian approached the Dark One and blackmailed him to get him to help him and Elsa track down the real threat to their town. The Captain reminded Gold he'd been hunting the Crocodile long enough to know him better than anyone else, and that he knew Gold never would have given anyone control over him by giving up control of his own dagger, not even to Belle. Hook knew Gold hadn't changed from being the beast he truly was, so the Dark One glared up at his old enemy until he eventually agreed to be of help.

 _Elsa walked over to join Killian in front of the counter and Gold as she handed him a few strands of Ruby's hair that had been frozen after she was attacked, asking the Dark One if there was something he could do with them to help them find the true ice witch who had hurt the young woman._

 _"This hair is from Ruby," she anxiously stated when she did so, once Gold finally looked away from the pirate to turn his attention over to her. "Someone cast a freezing curse on her. We need to know who it is."_

 _"Well… you're in luck," Mr. Gold replied to her when he took the hair and placed them in his open palm to examine them. "Magic can change forms, but never be destroyed. We'll simply return it to its natural state."_

 _He raised his other hand and slowly waved it over the hairs, transforming them back into their original magical state, then Elsa scoffed as he finished upon seeing the magic take form, as it floated above his palm while she whispered, "Snowflakes."_

 _She turned her head to look back over at Killian again, until the Dark One responded again, "Magic similar to yours, dearie. Though not quite the same. Much like a snowflake, each person's magic is unique."_

 _"Poetic," the pirate retorted curtly. "How does that help us?"_

 _"Well… magic seeks out like magic," Gold answered him, then blew the snowflakes into the air before him while he continued. "So if I set this free… It should find its way home. Back to the person who cast it."_

When the snowflakes headed for the shop's door, Killian and Elsa both followed after the magic, then they soon began to lead them deep into the woods. After awhile, Hook started to make markings into the trees using his hook to carve into their trunks as Elsa watched him do so out of curiosity.

 _Finally, her curiosity got the better of her, so she asked, "What are you doing?"_

 _Killian marked another tree as he walked by it and stopped a moment to do so, then without looking back at her while he continued to watch the snowy magic floating in front of them closely, he replied, "Leaving a trail. I'm more accustomed to outrunning bad weather than following it."_

 _"Snow isn't bad," the Queen of Arendelle sternly responded as she continued to walk alongside of him. "And we're following magic."_

 _"Try to outrun that too, when given the chance," the Captain said to her again, feeling the same way about most magic as he did about snow and other kinds of bad weather._

 _Elsa chuckled at his response, so he looked over at her again at last while he questioned her, "What's so funny?"_

 _She kept her eyes on the magic floating before them as she answered, "It's just Emma has magic, and you clearly don't want to outrun her."_

 _"More like the other way around," Hook sternly replied._

 _"Maybe she feels the same way about pirates, as you do about magic," the woman with her blonde hair pulled back tightly into a long braid responded to him again, as she began to try to help him to understand why Emma might have attempted to push him away from her earlier inside the Mayor's office._

 _Killian looked between Elsa and the snowflakes as well while he answered, "I've worked to change. Though, in fairness, being a pirate is not necessarily a bad thing. Particularly a charming one like meself."_

 _Elsa continued, "I think your self appreciation is blinding you to a simple fact… This isn't about you. It's about her."_

 _He lowered his eyes to the ground in front of his feet while they continued walking and then asked, "Is that right? A few short days, and you know Emma so well?"_

 _"We're a lot alike," the Queen replied again, as Killian raised his head to look over at her again in trying to understand all she was telling him. "When you have the weight of the world on your shoulders, it can be hard to let people in. To trust them. Even when they want what's best for you."_

"Emma's afraid," Killian then spoke again softly at last, after he took a few moments of silence to think about all she had explained to him. "I've done all I can to show her she can trust me, but I'm not so sure she feels she can. But it's more than that too. There's something she's afraid to share with me. I want more than anything for her to know without a doubt I would never intentionally do anything to hurt her. I've confessed to her I love her… that I'm in love with her. But I fear the walls she's built up over all her years of pain and loss, will never come down all the way so she can let me in. But even if they don't, I still can't ever leave her. I couldn't."

Elsa looked over at him again in awe after she listened to his words, then she gently responded, "Emma's very lucky to have you in her life. I may not know you very well either, but I can tell that you're a good man."

The Captain smiled uncomfortably at her, because a part of him still struggled to believe she was right about him. However, before he could say anything more, the snowflakes finally slowed as they neared whoever their magic belonged to and finally landed within the broken remains of a tree that had fallen.

 _He watched them do so as Hook stated quietly, "I'd say we're on the right track."_

 _"Yes," his friend answered, as the Snow Queen finally appeared before them in the distance in front of what appeared to be some sort of altar made of icy blue crystals while she kept her back to them. "There she is. Look."_

 _"Get down," Hook immediately grumbled and pushed Elsa down with him as they hid behind a log so they would remain out of sight, then he quickly pulled out his phone so he could call Emma to let her know they had found the threat._

 _Elsa looked over at him and the strange device in his hand as she questioned, "What is that thing?"_

 _He sighed in frustration while he struggled to use the cell and replied, "I don't know. It's a device for… talking. I don't bloody know. I press the 'Emma' button, and she answers usually."_

 _"Hey, this is Emma," the voicemail message Emma made for when someone called her then sounded after she failed to pick up on her end after he had pressed the button, then listened to her instructions on what he had to do next. "Leave a message."_

 _"Why should I carry around this ridiculous thing if you're never there when I use it?" he stated at the beginning of his message out of frustration again, then he continued. "We found the person who froze Ruby. Get to the west edge of the woods right away."_

 _Once he hung up, he turned to look over at Elsa again and noticed that she was leaning over the log and he quickly pulled her back down with him as he asked brusquely, "What the bloody hell are you doing?"_

 _Elsa apologetically whispered, "Sorry. I've never seen someone like me before. She doesn't look evil."_

 _"Yeah, well… looks can be deceiving, love," Killian quietly responded. "So let's just stay out of sight. I haven't a fondness of icebergs and I'd rather avoid being turned into one."_

Back in town while they investigated the ice cream shop and saw that the young thief been right about his suspicions, Emma suddenly felt her phone beep again in her pants pocket to indicate someone had tried calling her and just finished leaving her a voicemail. Once she listened to it in its entirety upon hearing Killian's voice, the Savior immediately pulled her father along with her as they left the shop again so they could make their way back into the woods where Hook had told her to meet him, hopefully before he or Elsa could get hurt.

"We have to go," the Savior urgently said to her father out of worry. "Hook and Elsa have gotten themselves into trouble."

 _Sometime later, Killian realized Emma was taking longer than he hoped she would and so upon growing worried, he spoke softly, yet sternly saying, "We've waited long enough. We have to find Emma."_

 _He then stood up, as did Elsa when they started to walk away. However, after he took no more than a couple of steps, the Captain found he could no longer move, as ice suddenly formed around his feet and the lower half of his legs, trapping him where he stood. Elsa worryingly looked down at the ice keeping him captive, until they both turned around to come face to face with the true villainess when she appeared behind them._

 _Ingrid lowered her hand after unleashing her magic against the pirate who had found her as she stated coldly, "I'm sorry. I'm afraid I can't let you leave."_

 _"What?" Killian angrily questioned her in confusion._

 _"Let go of him now," Elsa then demanded of the other woman like her to try to help her friend as she moved to stand in front of her, despite her own fear._

 _The Snow Queen turned her attention on her niece and then answered, "Not when you and I have so much catching up to do, my sweet Elsa."_

 _Hook then looked at Elsa in confusion while he asked, "Catching up? What? You know her?"_

 _"I've never seen her before," the younger woman worryingly replied to him, feeling just as confused as he felt._

 _"You've simply forgotten," the villainess responded to her._

 _Elsa stared at her sternly as she answered, "I wouldn't forget someone like you. Like me."_

 _Ingrid then stated, "The magic of the rock trolls. They pull memories. They did quite a number on you, I'm afraid."_

 _"The rock trolls?" the Queen of Arendelle questioned her again. "Why would they do that to me?"_

 _"For the same reason they did it to your sister, Anna," the Snow Queen replied. "Some memories are too painful."_

 _Elsa looked at her crossly and asked, "You know Anna? What happened to her?"_

 _The other woman wearing a shimmering white gown responded, "The same thing that happens to every ordinary person. Eventually… they grow to fear us. You wonder… how you ended up trapped in that urn. It was your sister. Anna put you there."_

 _"You're lying," her niece retorted in disbelief._

 _"Am I?" Ingrid questioned. "Look at the people in this town. They're ready to burn you at the stake."_

 _Elsa answered her angrily, "Because of what you did. You hurt one of them."_

 _The Snow Queen replied again, "You mean that young woman… Ruby. Well, that was an accident."_

 _"No," the true Queen of Arendelle firmly responded. "It wasn't. You wanted them to think it was me. To blame me. Why?"_

 _"I was trying to teach you a lesson," Ingrid sadly answered her, then she turned her attention back on Hook, still trapped a few feet away in front of them. "Eventually… everyone turns on people like us. Even friends. Even family. They're just waiting for a reason."_

 _At last, the Snow Queen raised her hand again, as she conjured several icicles just above Hook that hung from the branches of the trees surrounding them and they began to shake, ready to drop and stab him at any moment, then Elsa immediately cried out, "What are you doing?"_

 _She tried to stop the icicles to try to protect Hook, but she quickly discovered her magic was no longer working as the Snow Queen replied, "Don't bother. I've neutralized your magic."_

 _"When your friend is found, you'll look responsible," she continued cruelly, while Killian hastily struggled to free himself by chipping away at the ice with his hook, though his efforts were in vain. "Then they'll turn on you and they'll treat you as the monster that they truly see you as, and you'll know that I'm right."_

 _"No!" Elsa fearfully cried out, just as Emma suddenly appeared with David._

 _When she looked at Killian in fear upon seeing his life in danger, then heard Elsa crying out for the villainess to stop, the Savior immediately shouted, "Hey! Dairy Queen!"_

 _Ingrid was openly shocked to see her again as she uttered, "Emma?"_

 _"Do we know each other?" Emma asked her in confusion upon getting a strange sense from her._

 _"Of course not," the Snow Queen replied. "Your reputation precedes you. You really think that your magic is a match for mine?"_

 _The Savior swiftly raised her hands and blasted the villainess back through the air while she responded, "There's only one way to find out."_

 _David immediately rushed down to Killian to try to free him, using a knife he pulled off from his belt. The Captain attempted to help him the best he could, until he looked up again to see that the sharp icicles were beginning to dislodge. The Snow Queen then sat up and raised her hand again, using her magic to command the ice to fall. However, when the ice suddenly collapsed around David and Hook, Emma also used her own magic to force her father and the man who loved her back through the air out of the way as quickly as she could._

 _Once they landed roughly on the ground a few feet away from her, she asked them worryingly, "You guys okay?"_

 _"Yeah… we're fine," David answered when he looked over at Killian, who glanced over to check on him as well, then they both sat up and looked around for the Snow Queen, who had disappeared while they were distracted. "Where is she?"_

 _"She's gone," the Savior crossly grumbled._

A short while later…

While Killian reluctantly stayed behind with David and Elsa, as he struggled to bring warmth back into his legs and feet after they remained frozen for the short amount of time that he had been trapped by the Snow Queen, Emma quickly ran off on her own to search the area for any signs of the town's newest villain so she could try to stop her before Ingrid could hurt anyone else. Unfortunately, the Savior failed to find her, then crossly returned to the others again in defeat.

Upon sensing his daughter's agitation, David tried to convince her that she was reading far too much into the Snow Queen's possible hint of recognition, which could have very well been just as Ingrid had told Emma. That Emma's reputation as the Savior preceded her. She finally accepted the explanation for now, though a part of her still couldn't shake off the feeling she somehow knew this villainess before their first confrontation.

Then, to make her irritability worse, Killian had made the suggestion they continue on with their search of the Snow Queen and that they should try to discover her lair. His suggestion was made with good intentions and he certainly hadn't meant to make Emma more cross with him. However, the Savior adamantly cut him down in anger because he had nearly gotten himself killed for disobeying her request earlier, then she walked away from him before she could say anything more she would regret and rejoined Elsa to make sure she was alright.

Later that evening, Emma joined her parents, Henry, Elsa, Ruby, and Granny for dinner at Granny's while they discussed all that happened and what little they had learned. Mary Margaret and Henry had invited Regina to join them. However, while the Mayor had been willing to help Ruby, and her stepdaughter to get the power back up and running, she still wasn't ready to come out of hiding to face Emma further, still being angry with her for messing up her life all over again.

Killian hadn't been invited to join them either and David explained to the others it was because they had somewhat of a falling out earlier. Emma had made it pretty clear she didn't want anything to do with him the rest of the night because she was angry with him for going against her wishes, despite knowing deep down she was being far too hard on him.

It was getting late, so once everyone finished dinner, Emma was the first to get up to leave, as she told her parents and her son she was going to go for a short walk before she came home for the night. Her mother tried to object because she was worried about her being out alone so long as the Snow Queen was a threat to them. However, Emma wasn't much in the mood to listen, not even to her. So, she just left. And while she wasn't surprised to find Killian sitting down at the table where she kissed him and he had told her he loved her when she walked outside, her frustration she'd felt towards him all day upon seeing him waiting for her only grew.

 _While she kept on walking past him, it was clear to Killian that Emma was still angry with him, but he made a gesture for her to join him as he called out to her saying, "Swan! Don't make a man drink alone."_

 _Still annoyed, Emma replied coldly, "Not in the mood for a drink or a man."_

 _"_ _I'm sorry I didn't listen to you today," he responded as she walked out into the middle of the street while he swiftly chased after her, then finally used his hook to grab hold of the crook of her elbow to turn her around so that she was facing him. "All right, I know you feel like you've got the weight of the world on your shoulders. But at some point, even though we're quite different, you've got to trust me."_

 _"_ _That's what you think this is about?" she asked as she stared at him in surprise. "That I don't trust you?"_

 _Hook looked back at her feeling confused as he asked, "Is that not what it's about?"_

 _The blonde woman answered firmly, "Of course I trust you."_

 _"_ _Then why do you keep pulling away from me?" he asked again in frustration upon raising his voice in anger._

 _"_ _Because everyone I've ever been with is dead," Emma fearfully cried out, his eyes then softening upon hearing her confession after she suddenly admitted how she felt as though she was desperate to get the hard truth that she had been hiding from him all this time out into the open. "Neal and Graham. Even Walsh. I lost everyone. I… I can't lose you too."_

 _Tears came to her eyes as Killian kept his gaze on her, his expression being one of comfort while he replied brazenly, "Well, love… you don't have to worry about me. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's surviving."_

 _Emma's face softened as well while he continued to look into her eyes for a few moments and she into his, before Killian suddenly pulled her firmly against him and began to kiss her passionately. This time, just like when they had kissed the night before, her instinct to push him away never came as she continued to kiss him back, not wanting this moment between them to end._

This time, Emma pulled away enough so she could look up at the man holding her in his arms despite wanting to continue to kiss him, and she looked into his eyes again while she finally whispered in sincerity, "I'm sorry. For being so short with you today. For pushing you away again, like I always do whenever I get scared. It's just that last night you had gotten hurt protecting my father when the ice wall caved in and you didn't let it stop you from fighting to get me out of there. And then today, this Snow Queen almost killed you too. She would have had I not arrived when I did. Killian… I'm so sorry."

"You needn't apologize," he gently responded, then he raised his hand as he laid it against her face to tenderly caress her cheek, while he kept his hook rested firmly over the small of her back. "Believe me... I understand. I only wish I had before, as I should have. I didn't mean to scare you, Swan. Or to make you so angry with me. I only wanted to keep you safe. I've often walked head first into any danger that came my way because I didn't ever want to risk being caught unawares. Before I met you, I didn't care what happened to me. Though, I always somehow survived. I suppose now, that same impulse is just a hard habit to break. But I'll always protect you so long as I can, Emma. I would never be able to forgive myself if anything happened to you, and I hadn't done all I could to try to stop it. You're afraid to lose me, just as I'm afraid to lose you too."

"So we'll protect each other come what may," the Savior then whispered lovingly into his ear before she started to kiss him again, starting along his neck and cheek until she reached his lips.

A few minutes later, when they heard the door of the diner open as David and Mary Margaret walked out, followed by Henry, Emma pulled away from him again, then she began to laugh upon feeling embarrassed to be caught by her parents kissing him when every part of her wanted to kiss him more than anything. Killian laughed as well, as he understood, then reached down to take her hand while he offered to walk her home.

David watched his daughter and Hook walk away from them hand in hand, while he spoke to his wife with astonishment saying, "Huh… it looks like whatever Emma was angry with him for is history."

Mary Margaret smiled upon seeing Emma so happy and then she answered, "It appears so. They look good together, David."

"Do you really think so?" her husband skeptically questioned as he looked at his wife once Emma and Killian were out of sight.

"I do," she replied. "I really do."


	13. Chapter 13

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Thirteen

Once Killian walked Emma home, kissed her goodnight one more time, and then watched after her until she was safely inside, he left the apartment building feeling not only relieved now that the strain over their growing romance was finally gone, but he was on top of the world because despite his horrid past, his many sins, and his many shortcomings, Emma saw through it all and she cared about him more than he hoped she ever could care about a pirate like him. He knew she didn't love him as he loved her, but now he could hope love would come over time.

The Captain started down the street as he walked back towards Granny's to turn in for the night himself. However, just as he walked past Marco's garage and workshop, he suddenly heard a soft voice being carried by the wind in the air of a woman calling out for help somewhere in the distance. Killian stopped and stood still while he looked all around him to try to pinpoint where the voice was coming from. Yet when he heard it again, he still struggled to do so and it worried him that he couldn't see whoever was crying out.

Killian looked around him for signs of anyone who he could ask to join him in search of whoever was in trouble. Unfortunately, the town was quiet and no one appeared to be out and about any longer. A part of him considered calling Emma, or even David. However, when he started to pull out his phone to do so, the voice suddenly grew louder and more urgent as the woman pleaded again for help. Fearing what might happen to whoever it was if he didn't do as his instincts urged him to, Killian finally took off running in the most accurate direction he could make out from the voice's sound in hope that he wasn't just losing his mind.

He apprehensively entered the woods and continued following the pleas, as the voice was persistently carried to him through the wind. In the meantime, his gut screamed at him to turn back and to ignore it. Yet when he attempted to once, the deeper into the woods he ran, his conscience screamed at him to keep searching. The drawback to being a hero, Killian told himself, while he struggled with wanting to do the right thing, though a part of him also worried there was something very wrong.

At last, Killian ran out from the trees somewhere within the north woods, then pulled his cutlass from the scabbard he wore on his side upon feeling a deep sense of dread when he suddenly came to a halt and stood still again as he stared in front of him at a cave now frozen over. And then, the pleading voice suddenly cried out to him much louder from inside once more, so the Captain cautiously entered, as the air all around him immediately dropped several degrees until it felt to him a hundred times colder than it had been seconds ago.

The cave within was so much larger once he walked inside. The walls were as frozen as the outer walls, its roof stood high above him, and Killian found himself standing within an elegantly designed castle of pure white that had been delicately crafted of ice and snow. Ice sculpted chandeliers hung from the ceiling to help light up the grand room, where a throne of ice sat before him. There were tables surrounding the wide open space with candlesticks, vases and urns, goblets, and boxes filled with jewels and other trinkets made purely of ice laid out.

If Killian could have taken the time to admire the castle's beauty had this lair always been a part of Storybrooke, and if he weren't there upon listening to someone's cries, he might have done so. Unfortunately, the same voice suddenly cried out to him again as it surrounded him, causing the Captain to turn all around him in search of where it was coming from.

And then, unlike before, the voice changed from that of a woman's voice into his own as it eerily called out to him by name within an echo saying, "Killian… Killian. Killian! I'm over here, Killian."

Finally, Killian spun around and came face to face with his reflection staring out at him from a beautifully fashioned mirror that was carefully mantled at the far wall of the cave, as white and pure as everything else within the lair the pirate now knew definitely belonged to the Snow Queen.

He walked towards the mirror, staring into his own darkened eyes upon falling deep into a trance like state while his other self within the glass slowly crippled him with fear as he cruelly taunted, "How dare you believe you could ever be good enough for a woman as special and beautiful as Emma Swan. After all the terror you've caused and the number of innocent people's lives you've ruined and taken, with no remorse for the pain you inflicted upon them? You don't really think the Savior could actually love a man as vile and cruel as you, do you? You can't even forgive yourself. Because deep down, you know you're still a villain and that you always will be. And even if Emma could eventually forgive all of your sins… what can a one handed pirate like you really offer her? How will you ever be able to hold her the way she deserves to be held? Like any woman, she longs to be held, Killian. But only by a man with two hands, not one and some pointed bloodied piece of metal that has killed hundreds, if not thousands of people in over two hundred years. You can't honestly tell me you could ever be enough for her. It would be nothing more than a lie and you know this to be true. So why, Killian? Why cause her more pain, when one day you will finally realize the truth for yourself and abandon her just like everyone else in her life has? Why? Why? Why?!"

All of a sudden, after the dark version of Hook within the mirror chillingly screamed out at him, a wild force blew him far across the room, until it knocked the pirate Captain hard against the wall behind him, causing him to lose consciousness upon impact and to collapse heavily against the ground beneath him.

The Snow Queen then appeared above him once she stepped out from behind the mirror after she waited for its power to work against the man who had declared his love for the Savior whom she had plans for, that didn't and couldn't involve him being a part of Emma's life. For what lay ahead for Emma, she needed to become vulnerable and afraid of her power. And so long as the Captain fought to make her feel loved and strong like she truly was, Ingrid knew she would fail.

So, Ingrid knelt down above the man now at her feet and tenderly began to caress his cheek while she stared down at the handsome features of his face, as she tried to understand Emma's attraction to him, then slowly traced her fingers over his chiseled jawline. She then raised a small purple stone she took out from within her bosom above him and magically pulled all memory from Killian's mind that he had entered her lair and found her magic mirror as he saw a darkened version of himself within its glass. However, she left the words he was tormented by alone so they would continue to haunt him in the back of his mind, hoping they would be enough to destroy him and the love he felt for Emma Swan.

When she finished, she rose back to her feet again and at last used her magic to conjure her own snow monster. Smaller, yet more powerful and dangerous. Wearing armor made of impenetrable black ice, as the snowman appeared above her, then waited for its first command from its creator while Ingrid smiled at her creation.

"I need you to carry this pirate out of my lair to some place where it will be awhile before he's found," the Snow Queen ordered the snow beast while she looked up upon its face. "Wait until everyone in town is asleep before leaving the woods if you must. Then, take him down to the harbor and leave him lying on one of the benches along the docks, where he won't suspect anything was ever wrong should he awaken alone before anyone does find him. I doubt he would think twice about having drank himself into a drunken stupor before passing out in a place where he frequents often to stare out at the horizon."

"And when you've finished, return to me here again and try not to let yourself be seen by anyone," she sternly added, then turned her back on her creation to look again into her own reflection.

When she did so, the monster did like it was told when it pulled Captain Hook from the icy floor and lifted him into its arms, then carried him out of her cave to make its way through the woods and to the harbor as it had been ordered to. It waited until not a soul was in sight and then stomped across the docks until it came upon a bench where it finally laid Killian down before turning away to leave him alone, until someone would eventually come to find him in the morning.


	14. Chapter 14

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Fourteen

Once again, morning came as the sun rose above the horizon out beyond the ocean surrounding Storybrooke's harbor. Sunrise was Ruby's favorite time of the day, as she always went for an early morning jog before the rest of her day began, even if she had gone running the night before under a full moon in her wolf form. She simply loved to run. The young woman also known to her friends as Little Red Riding Hood, left her grandmother's diner and started running down the streets until she made her way into the harbor and continued to run along the docks.

She hadn't been running in the harbor long, when she was suddenly surprised to come upon Captain Hook as he appeared to be asleep on one of the benches, if not passed out from possibly having one too many drinks the night before. Ruby cautiously approached him and stood above him while she looked down on him for almost a minute, but she didn't smell even the slightest hint of rum or any alcohol on his breath. Only the little that came from his flask she saw was tucked away in his pants pocket.

Finally, Ruby bent down beside him and reached out to lay her hands over both of his shoulders, as she gently shook him to try to wake him. Her actions suddenly startled Killian awake, causing him to gasp out of shock when he swiftly sat up and stared at her for a few seconds, until at last his mind registered who was kneeling in front of him with concern for him in her eyes.

"Hey… it's just me," she immediately said to him in worry. "Ruby."

"Aye, love," Killian replied quietly, as he straightened out and rubbed his hand over his face, then through his hair over the back of his head while he struggled to make sense of why he was waking up on a bench in the harbor, when he vaguely remembered heading back to Granny's to turn in for the night. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to startle you."

Red shook her head and smirked, then she answered, "You were the one who was startled because I woke you up. I should be the one to apologize here. Not you. Are you okay? What are you doing sleeping out here, when you could have been in your nice warm bed at Granny's? It's cold out here. Even more so than normal since the Snow Queen's arrived and has put a chill in the air. You've got to be freezing."

The Captain looked around him again in confusion and then he quietly responded, "I could have sworn I was on my way back there. I remember walking Emma home and kissing her goodnight. Then, I started heading back, but after that… I can't seem to be able to recall anything after that. Including how or why I might have ended up falling asleep on this bench. I must have had a few drinks…"

"There's no smell of rum or any kind of alcohol on your breath, Hook," she replied to him out of concern once again. "Being part wolf, believe me… I'd smell it. You couldn't have been drinking last night. At least not any more than a sip or two. Come on… let's head back to Granny's. She'll be able to make you some fresh coffee or cocoa, and a nice hot breakfast. What do you say?"

"All right," Killian answered her, then slowly lifted himself off of the bench to stand before he began to follow after the young woman. "It certainly is a bit colder out here than it should be. Even if winter had begun before the Snow Queen arrived."

After they started walking back into town to return to the diner, Ruby looked over at her friend when he hadn't spoken again, and noticed that he staring down at his hook while his face looked troubled. She also saw that his only hand was trembling slightly as well, but somehow she sensed that the tremors weren't because of the cold, but from whatever it was worrying him.

Ruby finally broke the silence between them when she asked him worryingly, "There's something troubling you, isn't there? You can tell me anything, Hook. And if you don't want me to tell Emma…"

The pirate cut her off as he quickly lowered his hook down to his side so he could look over at her and interrupted, "It's nothing. Really… I'm fine. I just don't like not being able to remember something I might have done. It's happened on many occasions when I've had too much to drink in my past, but now… Well, I don't drink like that anymore. I haven't since our missing year while I had been apart from…"

"…from Emma," the woman finished for him and smiled when she turned her head to look over at him again. "You must love her very much."

"Aye," Killian whispered, then looked away once he realized they had finally reached the diner and followed Ruby inside.

She motioned for him to take a seat, then ran behind the bar so she could walk into the kitchen to find Granny and to help her make them all breakfast. Killian sat alone in one of the booths and waited for her to return with coffee and their food. Unfortunately, the cruel words spoken to him by his dark reflection in the mirror just hours ago, suddenly came flooding back because they had remained implanted within his mind, even though he had no memory of stumbling into the Snow Queen's lair or anything from the night since it had all been erased. And the words troubled him deeply. Taunting him… haunting him much like the sins of his past that he despised himself for.

Killian strangely became overwhelmed by doubts that made him second guess whether or not he was really helping Emma to become the strong woman he already knew her to be. That he was helping to break down her walls she had built up to protect herself so she couldn't be hurt by anyone again like she had been by practically everyone in her life. He couldn't help but wonder if he was really good enough for the woman he loved. And all of a sudden, he heard himself tauntingly state that Emma deserved to be with a man who could hold her with two hands, not just one and a bloodied piece of metal with a sharp point at its end that could easily hurt her if he moved the wrong way, even the slightest bit.

That was why he had been staring down at his hook before while they walked along the docks. And that was why he was doing so again, when Ruby and Granny both walked back over to join him with warm food and hot drinks in their hands before they carefully set it all down on the table in front of him, as the women looked down at the pirate Captain in concern upon seeing him lost so deep in his troubling thoughts.

Red looked over at her grandmother worryingly until Granny simply nodded, then the young woman reached out again to gently shake him from his thoughts like she had done to wake him. And when he blinked and shook his head to try to clear his mind when he looked up to see both women standing beside him, as well as food out on the table, he finally just rested his fingers over the bridge of his nose in frustration without saying a word.

Granny broke his silence first as she and Ruby took a seat in the booth across from him and stated bluntly, "Captain… if you're having trouble sleeping, it ain't because my mattresses are uncomfortable. So, you must be having bad dreams, or something else is bothering you. Have you thought about going to see Archie?"

Killian shook his head and then he responded, "Afraid not. Whatever's going on, it's only just started. Probably last night, although I can't recall any kind of nightmares. Or even having fallen asleep. But if it keeps up, I'll consider going to see the cricket."

"Do you at least have any ideas about what might be bothering you?" Ruby questioned him after she began to eat, while Killian picked up the mug filled with coffee to carefully take a few sips in order to help warm himself up a little.

"Nope… not even a little," he then lied to them, despite the women both keeping their eyes on them.

After he had taken a few bites of the waffle with eggs Granny had placed down in front of him, Killian started to take another, until he finally gave up trying to eat despite feeling hungry, as he just wasn't in the mood to do so. When Granny looked at him crossly for wasting what she brought out to him, he immediately apologized to her and then thanked her for the trouble.

The pirate took another sip of his coffee, then he looked at Ruby and asked, "So… are you no longer leaving us to go seek out more of your wolf pack, love? I thought you planned to leave…"

She turned her head to look over at her grandmother a moment as she finished for him saying, "Yesterday. I was going to leave yesterday. But after what happened… with being attacked by the Snow Queen and all that's going on still… I just can't leave until I know for sure all of you are going to be fine. Especially Granny. Besides, we might need one of the only beans in existence right now to escape this town should something tragic happen, or like when we needed a portal to rid Storybrooke of the wraith that attacked. That was before you arrived."

"Hey… why don't you and I play a game of darts," Ruby then swiftly suggested to him once Killian didn't respond again to their last topic. "Henry told me you were pretty good at hitting the bullseyes."

"All right," Hook replied with a smile, then stood up again to follow the shapeshifter over to the bar where she quickly rushed behind to grab the darts, before she returned with them in her hands and handed them over to him, while Granny got up to clear the plates and return to work.

As Ruby did so, she added haughtily, "Show me what you've got, Captain."

He set the darts down on the end of a table so he could throw one without having to hold the others, then stepped forward to line himself up in front of the dart board hanging up on the far wall now in front of him. The first three darts he threw all managed to somehow hit their targets, dead center bullseye. To Ruby and Granny, he was better than Henry had said he was.

 _However, when he started to aim before he could make his fourth shot, Emma then entered the diner as the door behind her slammed close again, while Killian turned to the sound of the bells jingling over the door and watched her approach him before he asked her worryingly, "_ _The Snow Queen turn up? Did I miss the search party?"_

 _"Oh… n… nothing to miss," the Savior anxiously replied to him when they both moved in closer to one another, until they were standing only a few feet apart. "There's no sign of that ice witch yet."_

 _"That's all right, Swan," Hook confidently answered her, as he quickly suppressed whatever his feelings were before she came to see him so she wouldn't suspect anything was bothering him. "You'll find her."_

 _Upon being nervous to do what she had come to the diner for while she looked towards him, Emma responded, "Yeah, I know. Uh… that's not why I'm here."_

 _Killian looked at her with curiosity while he asked, "Then why are you here?"_

 _"Well… I thought about what you said last night about being a survivor, and you're right," she replied to him again._

 _"It's like I said, love," he answered when he turned back around to face the dart board again and aimed his dart at his target once more. "You don't have to worry about me."_

 _All of a sudden, Killian missed his shot after he threw the dart at the bullseye again which then landed on the floor as the projectile bounced off the board, upon becoming a bit flustered by her question when Emma immediately blurted out, "Good, 'cause I'm here to ask you out. To dinner or something."_

 _Hook turned back to face the woman he loved, then deviously asked her, "Shouldn't I be the one asking you out?"_

 _"Should have known you'd be old fashioned, given your age…" she playfully responded again. "What are you, like three hundred?"_

 _"Curses and Neverland may have given me experience," the handsome pirate Captain smugly said as he moved in closer to her, until their faces were only inches apart. "But as you can see, I've retained my youthful glow."_

 _Emma scoffed, yet she looked at him in amusement and then Killian continued, "I happily accept on one condition… you let me plan the evening."_

 _She almost sounded hurt when she looked at him in disbelief while she retorted, "I know how to plan a date."_

 _"You know how to chase a monster," Hook sternly corrected her. "I know how to plan an evening out."_

 _"Well… I don't pillage and plunder on the first date, just so you know," the Savior replied again as she blushed when she smiled up at him._

 _Killian's facial expression then turned to one of seduction, and he lowered his voice so he sounded more flirty when he answered, "Well… that's because you haven't been out with me yet."_

 _Emma chuckled slightly and he smiled, then he continued, "See you tonight."_

She smiled at him as well, then turned to walk away from him while she left the diner again without saying hello to anyone else. Killian watched her until she disappeared from his view, as he basked in the happiness he felt by her taking the first step to ask him out of their first date at last. Unfortunately, his moment of happiness was short lived, when his earlier thoughts of him not being good enough for the Savior suddenly bombarded his mind even worse than they had before.

"Killian… that was so great!" Ruby excitedly cried out to him as she stood up from the booth where she had taken a seat again to wait once Emma entered the diner to talk to him, then she swiftly wrapped her arms around him in a hug to congratulate him, having failed to notice that his had face fallen when she did so. "I'm so happy for you both."

"You and Emma absolutely make a perfect couple," the young woman continued after she pulled back and looked at him once more, this time seeing the sadness in his eyes before he quickly tried to mask his pain when she faced him again.

However, she knew he wouldn't talk to her about his troubles any more than what little he already had, so instead she eagerly asked him, "You wanna know where you should take Emma to dinner tonight? Because believe me… you don't want to bring her here again. I'm not trying to put my grandmother's pride and joy down, because I love it as much as she does. But Granny's Diner is hardly a romantic setting. You should take Emma to Tony's, just a ways down the street. It's romantic… it's quiet… and the food is fabulous. Trust me. Emma will love it."

Killian smiled at her and then he responded gratefully, "It sounds perfect, love. Thank you."

He started to walk towards the door to leave, until he stopped a moment to study his apparel he'd been wearing for centuries. He'd gotten so used to them that it never really dawned on him before that his clothes were much too outdated and no longer fit the twenty-first century as Emma had spoken of on several occasions, any time they ever spoke about the modern world technology such as his cell phone. But now that he was thinking about it, Killian realized he wanted a change. He wanted everything for their first date to be perfect.

"Uh… I don't suppose you know of a good shop where I could go to buy myself new apparel?" he then asked Ruby when he turned around to face her again. "Apparel that might allow me fit in a bit more into this world, and not so much the Enchanted Forest?"

"Actually, I do," Little Red Riding Hood assuredly stated. "I'll walk down there with you before I head out to run a few errands for Granny, so you'll know where to go. Just don't forget to go talk to Tony at the restaurant before tonight too. They prefer it when people make reservations, rather than them walking in off the street and expecting a table to be free."

Killian smiled again and nodded, then together he and Ruby left the diner to walk down to the dress shop, as well as to Tony's so he could know where he was going. Afterwards, the young woman left his side to do her own things. However, before Killian walked back to either place, he turned to look down the street towards Gold's Pawnshop and stared darkly up at the sign while the taunts continued to play over and over again in his mind. He finally lowered his head and looked down at his hook once more, then at last made the decision to go and talk to the Crocodile about an abysmal decision which would soon come to be one that he would forever regret.


	15. Chapter 15

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Fifteen

Meanwhile…

Gold rose early before Belle awoke beside him, then he quietly got dressed using his power to magic himself a new suit before he finally poofed himself from his house he now shared with his wife to avoid risking to wake her up, then reappeared just within the gates surrounding the Sorcerer's mansion. He had already taken the magical box containing the Sorcerer's hat, and he knew that he needed to collect great power in order to wield the hat's power so that he could cleave himself from the dagger's tether and its control over him, yet still keep his power.

However, the Dark One didn't get the chance to really search the library for answers on how to fully harness the hat's power, or to find the right spell he would need to perform such a grand task while Belle had been with him when they stayed there for their honeymoon, as he didn't want to risk her finding out what he was trying to do. He had only ever learned before of what the hat could do for him, so he needed to find more research so that he could study it more closely.

But all that wasn't the only reason why he needed to return. Gold knew that if he was going to have any chance of succeeding, he would have to find the Apprentice he knew now was somewhere in Storybrooke using any one of the house's artifacts that might belong to him in hope of doing so, so that the old man wouldn't be able to stop him. And once he found him, to begin to fill the hat, the Apprentice would be the first he'd steal power from.

Unfortunately, the Dark One soon discovered that getting back inside the mansion wasn't so easy as it had been before. In the moment he walked up onto the porch and reached out to touch the doorknob so he could enter, Gold was suddenly forced back through the air by the light magic now protecting the mansion to prevent anyone one with dark magic from entering inside.

When he landed roughly against the ground, Gold worked to regain control over his breathing, then struggled to stand again on his bad leg until he could find where his cane had fallen and bent down to pick it up. He then glared up at the house, until he was suddenly startled again when someone spoke out to him from behind him.

The shopkeeper came face to face with a young man he had never seen before in Storybrooke after he called out, "That wasn't exactly the most pitiful sight I've ever seen… But it was certainly amusing for me to watch."

Gold glared at him as he then questioned darkly, "Who are you, and how did you get into our town?"

"Name's Will Scarlet," the former member of Robin's band of merry men proudly responded to him. "I know who you are. You're the Dark One… ain't ya? We've never met, but I know your reputation. So, I won't bother lying to ya. I used a magic bean to get here, when I came looking for an old friend of mine. Robin Hood. I used to be one of his men, you see. But I was better at thieving and keeping things for myself, than giving everything we stole away to the poor. I'm a thief, and a damn good one at that. And… I was coming here now to see what I might be able to find of value since it is a mansion and such. Surely there's plenty of trinkets inside worth stealing. Only, it appears getting inside might not be so easy for either of us. Which is why, I'll be saying goodbye."

"Wait!" the Dark One swiftly called out to him just when Will turned and started to walk away. "You and I just might be able to help one another out. Not all is as it seems here. You see… this mansion is being protected by light magic from two very powerful beings, one of whom is living right here in Storybrooke. But more about that later perhaps. Anyone can enter inside… unless you possess dark magic like I have. Light magic and dark magic… don't mix."

Will looked at him again skeptically once he faced him again, then suspiciously questioned, "What exactly are ya proposing? That you and I work out some kind of deal? Not interested."

Gold laughed, until he replied again, "I was here just yesterday and the day before with my wife and I was able to walk inside this mansion freely, because I was with her. All I need is someone simply ordinary, and without possession of dark magic to help me back inside. You just have to be willing to enter first."

"I saw what happened to you just now the second you touched that knob," the thief retorted. "No bloody way. How am I supposed to know you're not wrong about why you can't enter?"

"I can't say with an absolute certainty, but I've seen this kind of enchantment in place before and I've gotten around it because I let someone else lead the way," the villain coolly answered him. "It just takes a little trust on both our ends."

The younger man looked into his eyes for hints of deception, then he asked, "If I do agree to help ya… what's in it for me?"

Gold responded, "Something tells me that you don't wish to be here in this town any more than I do. And that the only reason why you're still here… is because of this Snow Queen's power preventing anyone from leaving. What if I were to say, that I could help you return to wherever it is you wish to go? Despite the ice wall. To help you to escape the two sheriffs we've got living here? I know anyone who's ever robbed with Robin Hood's band of thieves don't particularly have a fondness of sheriffs. Do you?"

"I'm afraid you've got a point there," Will Scarlet replied again, then took a few moments to think about the man's proposition. "All right. Why not? We have ourselves a deal."

"I knew we would," the villain snidely answered, then motioned for the thief to move ahead of him so they could step foot inside.

When they reached the door again, Gold reached out to grab his ally's shoulder and waited for Will to do as he had to, Will nervously reached out to touch the knob, expecting to become shocked and blasted back at any moment like the Dark One had been. However, when nothing happened, he laughed and then knelt down so he was eye level with the lock while he worked to pick it.

Much to Gold's relief, he too was able to enter the mansion as he expected to. Just like he'd been able to when he was with Belle. Once they were inside, Will got to work looking around for anything of value easy enough for him to steal. Gold on the other hand, sought out the information he sought, as well as something belonging to the Apprentice he would be able to enchant to help him find the powerful being. At last, the Dark One found the perfect guide. An old broomstick that would lead him directly to the old man.


	16. Chapter 16

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Sixteen

 _Sometime later, when Gold returned to his shop and entered inside, he suddenly stopped in the doorway upon being surprised to find Hook sitting on the far countertop in the back of the main room while he was waiting for the Dark One to return, as Gold glared at the pirate coldly before he slammed closed the door behind him in frustration. Hook on the other hand, was waiting patiently for him as he sat there, playing with some small, harmless trinket he was rolling around between his fingers. Until his enemy finally arrived._

 _"_ _Making yourself at home, are we?" the villain darkly sneered as he glared at the pirate sitting on top of the glass case._

 _"I'm here to make another deal," Killian smugly answered him, once he put up a false façade showing his usual bravado towards the man he's hated for centuries to avoid showing his true emotions, especially in front of his enemy._

 _As he let go of the trinket in his hand, Gold replied crossly, "Not interested."_

 _The pirate looked towards Gold again while he vindictively responded, "Oh… you will be, unless you want Belle to learn the truth about your precious dagger."_

 _"Tread carefully," the Dark One menacingly threatened and started walking towards Hook, who quickly stood up from the counter as he did so. "I might just take your other hand."_

 _"It's funny you say that… 'cause my hand is exactly what I'm here about," Killian answered his oldest enemy, which momentarily caught Gold off guard until he slowly began to understand a little why the Captain might have come to see him this time, then walked around the counter so that he was now facing him._

 _He bent down behind the counter to pull out something hidden within the glass case and finally lifted up a large glass jar, which he then placed carefully on top of the counter, a jar which now contained Hook's magically preserved hand within what must have been embalming fluid._

 _Hook bent down to stare darkly at the hand that used to be his own until the Dark One stole it away from him when he had cut it clean off, then Killian spoke again coldly saying, "You kept it all of these years?"_

 _Gold snidely replied, "Only to remind myself I should have finished the job when I had the chance."_

 _"Can you reattach it?" the pirate Captain inquisitively asked him again, as he stood tall to look at the villain once more._

 _"Indeed," Gold stated with a slight grin upon his face. "But the question is… why?"_

 _Killian's expressions softened, yet his brows furrowed and his eyes closed as he thought about the words tormenting him while he responded to the Dark One apprehensively, "I've got a date with Emma. Should things go well and she wants me to hold her, I want to use both hands."_

 _When Hook opened his eyes to look at the villain again, it was clear that Gold still wasn't impressed, but he ridiculed the pirate as he said mockingly, "Oh… I see blackmail brings out the romantic in you. But this hand may bring out the worst."_

 _"What the devil does that mean?" the Captain questioned him in confusion._

 _"This hand belonged to the man you used to be… cunning, selfish pirate," the Dark One in all seriousness answered him. "If I reunite this with your body, there's no telling what influence it could have on you."_

 _Hook stared at Mr. Gold for a few moments, before he suddenly began to laugh in disbelief upon believing his enemy was only saying such to get inside his mind and then he retorted, "Sorry, Dark One. I'm not gonna fall for your tricks today. Nothing can change me back."_

 _Killian then unlocked his hook from its brace and laid the pointed piece of metal down on top of the counter while he demanded brusquely, "Now give me my hand, or Belle finds out exactly who she's married to. Because unlike me… you haven't changed one bit… Crocodile."_

 _"Very well," the true villain darkly replied to him in agreement to their deal, then waved his own hand over the hand in the jar and swiftly reattached it to Hook's wrist with his dark magic after he had made the brace over his arm vanish, as well as his hook. "Don't say, I didn't warn you."_

 _Once the magic worked and his hand was restored, Killian stared down at it in awe while he slowly flexed it to make sure he could move it properly and then he smiled when it appeared to be functioning just fine, as though he had never lost it. Feeling his hand again at first was strange to him, but at last he raised his head again to look back at the Crocodile crossly, then without another word, he turned to leave the shop so he could go about preparing for his date with the woman he loved._

The Dark One on the other hand, simply watched him walk away with a cruel smile on his face, knowing that he had gotten deep into Hook's head just like he hoped he would, despite what his enemy believed. Gold didn't know what unexpectedly brought on his enemy's sudden interest in having his hand restored to him again after all these years since he had stolen it from him. However, he knew that it wouldn't be long before the pirate would return begging him to cut it off once more.

Meanwhile, inside the Charmings' loft…

Mary Margaret and David were busy helping Elsa as they worked together to collect the books they've kept records in of every curse they've been through, as well as everyone who have ever lived in Storybrooke, including their cursed identities as well in hope that they might reveal whether or not Anna had ever been living among them.

Emma was upstairs in the loft getting ready for her night out with Killian. A part of her was excited to finally go out on a date again, with someone she knew truly loved her and who would never intentionally do anything to hurt her. However, she was more nervous than anything else because it's been so many years since she's allowed anyone back into her life so closely, let alone romantically.

The Princess had torn through her closet looking for just the right dress to wear, although she couldn't seem to make up her mind even if she didn't have all that many to choose from. But Emma wanted her date with Killian to go perfectly, so she even considered asking her mother to come up to help her. However, she changed her mind and at last decided on one she knew Killian had never seen her wear before. She then pulled out the shoes she bought to go with them, pulled up her hair and redid her makeup, and anxiously walked back downstairs again to rejoin her parents and Elsa upon being worried about what they might think.

 _Once she stepped down into the living room, wearing a rose colored pink dress without sleeves that went down just past her knees as well as heels, with her hair pulled back elegantly into a ponytail, she spoke nervously saying, "Okay. I want honest opinions. What do we think?"_

 _"Wow," her mother simply responded, when she, David, and Elsa all raised their heads and turned to look towards her as she neared them._

 _David just agreed with his wife while he added, "What your mother said."_

 _Because she wasn't used to the modern way of how people dressed in this world, the Queen of Arendelle looked at Emma strangely as she asked, "Is that just the corset? Where's the rest of it?"_

 _"This… is the rest of it," the Savior answered her more nervously while she looked down at her dress, feeling a little confused by Elsa's question._

 _"Someone's sister is going on a very big date tonight!" Mary Margaret said excitedly to her son, as she tenderly laid the baby down in his crib before she then picked up the camera she had pulled out earlier from her closet and set down nearby a few minutes ago._

 _"Let's not oversell…" Emma started to say again, until her mother suddenly cut her off when she snapped her picture._

 _Emma chuckled upon feeling slightly embarrassed as she continued, "Wow… I really need to get my own place."_

 _Their daughter walked closer to them while David laughed and then he replied, "Cut your mother some slack. It's not like we got to send you to a ball."_

 _"You sure you guys don't want help?" Emma then asked them upon observing the table and seeing the amount of work they were about to pull themselves into. "Maybe I can get Hook to stay in for the night."_

 _"My sister put her wedding on hold because of me," Elsa responded to her a little bit sadly. "I don't want anyone else to stop living their lives on my account."_

 _All of a sudden, a knock sounded on the other side of the apartment's door when Hook arrived to pick Emma up, as Mary Margaret, in a singing like voice eagerly sang out, "Here we go!"_

 _Emma walked towards the door while she chided, "Okay."_

 _David and Mary Margaret followed after their daughter to see her and Killian come together and once Emma opened the door, she suddenly froze in surprise upon seeing Hook standing there, no longer wearing his pirate apparel, but modern clothes which appropriately consisted of black jeans, a modern leather black jacket, and a button up shirt beneath a leather wait coat. And yet upon seeing Emma standing there before him in her gown and elegantly dressed, Killian was also taken aback by her beauty, even though the Savior was always just as beautiful to him._

 _"Uh… Hook…" she couldn't help but utter in surprise._

 _"You look stunning, Swan," Killian gently said to her, while he continued to observe her._

 _The Savior still could only stutter as she attempted to answer, "You… look…"_

 _The Captain smiled while he stepped into the room, then he cut in smugly saying, "I know."_

 _Emma scoffed, but she kept smiling at him as he continued, "Now that I'm settling into this world, I finally thought it was time to dress the part."_

 _"Wow… you really went all out," Emma replied, especially when he then held out a single red rose for her with his left hand, which she didn't appear to notice right away, and accepted the rose from him._

 _"Uh… Emma?" Mary Margaret then called out to her, when she and David did notice Hook once again had two hands, not just one like he's had since they've all known him._

 _"Is that…" the Savior inquisitively started to question him._

 _However, Killian quickly finished for her as he glanced down at it as well while he worryingly stated, "Mine? Yeah. The Dark One kindly restored what he once took from me. It seems he has indeed changed his ways."_

 _While he nervously began to play with the rings he placed back over his new fingers again, Emma flirted with him a little as she asked, "So, what do I call you now… 'Captain Hand'?"_

 _"Killian' will do," the pirate Captain responded again._

 _"Okay, Killian," she answered, then anxiously attempted to push him towards the door again so they could leave before her parents could embarrass her any further. "We should get out of here before David decides to give you his overprotective dad speech."_

 _Killian however looked towards the Prince while he spoke out to him saying, "Well, you can spare yourself the trouble, mate. I assure you… your daughter couldn't be in better hands."_

 _Prince Charming looked at his friend sternly while he replied, "That's exactly what worries me. Especially now that you have two of them."_

 _"I can take care of myself," Emma retorted as she walked closer again to the door._

 _"You sure you don't want me to drive?" David quickly asked them once they both stepped outside of the apartment into the hallway._

 _His daughter responded, "Goodbye."_

 _Hook smiled cheekily at David as he gently placed his hand down over the small of Emma's back and guided her from the loft downstairs to leave the apartment building, then David finally shut the door behind them and turned back to his wife and their friend while he questioned, "I wasn't too hard on him, was I?"_

 _"You should have seen me when Kristoff started dating Anna," Elsa answered him happily. "It's the only time in my entire life that I've ever made someone sweat."_

 _"Speaking of which…" Mary Margaret replied again. "Let's see if we can figure out what happened to your sister."_

Once they were outside, Killian pulled Emma's arm between his own and his body, then gently took her hand while he began to lead her down the streets. They walked and talked until they came upon a restaurant Emma couldn't recall ever coming to, as she looked up at the sign above the door to read what said, 'Tony's'. The Savior then glanced over at Killian again and she smiled, as he too smiled back at her before he finally led her inside, where he had spoken with Tony himself to reserve himself a table for that evening for his first date with the love of his life.

 _While the Captain led her inside and walked with her over to their table, he asked her softly, "Well, Swan… what do you think?"_

 _She glanced back at him while he followed her until she saw the waiter move to stand in front of their table to indicate where they were to sit, then she responded, "I like that it's not Granny's."_

"Well… I can't exactly take all the credit for being here tonight," Killian said again before they both moved forward to sit down. "Ruby was the one who suggested I bring you here instead of to Granny's. Although, to be fair to meself, I did hope to find us somewhere with a more… romantic setting."

 _"I've only seen you go on one date," he then continued, as he rushed forward to pull out Emma's chair for her so she could sit down and gently pushed her in, then began to pull off his leather jacket once he walked around the table so he could sit down across from her. "And that was with a flying monkey. Thought I had to top that."_

 _Emma laughed softly and opened her menu while she looked up at him, before he sat and answered, "He set the bar pretty high. He proposed that night."_

 _Hook finally removed his jacket as he retorted, "He also tried to kill you."_

 _"Right," she playfully replied to him. "There's that."_

 _"Shall I order us some drinks?" he then asked her once he sat down, and cleared his throat while he looked towards the bar a few feet away from them._

 _While she might have wanted to say yes to him, the Savior became somewhat nervous while she responded, "Not tonight."_

 _Killian then gave her a sultry look as he flirted with her when he asked, "Why, love? You a bit worried you'll find me even more irresistible after a few libations?"_

 _"No," Emma answered, as she blushed and chuckled because of him again. "I want to stay sober tonight just in case the Snow Queen decides to crash our date."_

 _"You still think her being here has something to do with you," he questioned sternly once his smile faltered, trying to understand why she was so concerned about this new villainess._

 _She looked at him again as she frustratingly replied, "I don't think it. I know it. There was a puddle next to my car this afternoon."_

 _Hook looked at her strangely as he uttered, "A puddle? What does that prove?"_

 _"Look, Swan…" Killian then continued more gently upon sensing that he had upset her a bit, and reached across the table while he tenderly took a hold of her hands in his own. "I didn't bring you here to worry about the Snow Queen. I brought you here to show you a good time."_

 _He finally made Emma smile again when he smiled back at her with a raise of an eyebrow, then he turned to look towards the bar again so he could signal the waiter standing there behind it, now that they were ready to order food and drinks. Unfortunately, neither of them noticed Will Scarlet sitting up at the bar having himself a few drinks, but upon Killian getting the attention of the waiter in front of him, the young thief noticed them and quickly recognized Emma as the sheriff who had attempted to arrest him the day before._

 _"Oh… bloody hell," he mumbled crossly under his breath upon seeing her. "What's the sheriff doing here?"_

 _Will exhaled sharply and quickly finished the rest of his drink, then stood up before he ducked between another waiter and one of the restaurant's other patrons as he struggled to avoid being seen in hope he could sneak past the sheriff. However, in doing so, he bumped too far into the waiter and accidentally pushed him towards Emma, causing the man to spill the bread and wine glasses on his tray on her lap, as the wine thankfully spilled mostly on the linen napkin she had opened up across her lap beforehand._

 _Upon having the wine spilled on her, Emma frustratingly cried out, "Really?"_

 _The thief quickly apologized to the waiter for knocking him down, as he attempted to help what little way he could while he uttered, "Oh! Oh, my God. Are you alright, mate?"_

 _"There you go," Will mumbled as he continued to help the waiter, though it wasn't really much help at all. "Take your glass there, mate."_

 _"Apologize to the lady, mate," Hook then snarled darkly, as he suddenly reached across the table to grab Will by his collar with his left hand in anger by what the young thief had just done and pulled him towards him in a very aggressive manner._

 _Emma looked at him in surprise by his sudden change of mood, while she worryingly spoke out to him saying, "Killian… look, it's okay."_

Upon hearing her plea for him to stop, Killian suddenly became startled by his actions and he quickly released Will while he began to stare fearfully at his hand. A strange, dark impulse had taken over him and it was in that moment he remember the Dark One's words to him about how having his hand back might bring out the worst in him. That taking it back could begin to influence his actions because of the sort of man he'd been back when it had been a part of him before.

 _However, while Killian had become lost in his thoughts, Will stood up again and straightened out his shirt and jacket the pirate had crumbled after he grabbed him, but when he did so, Emma immediately recognized the thief as she looked up at him in surprise, then she called out, "You. You're the thief that took off from us after you told us about the ice cream shop."_

 _"Nope," she then stated with sigh to calm herself, after she had stood up ready to chase him when Will suddenly took off running from her once again, until she stopped herself and sat back down so she could stay with Killian, not noticing right away that Killian was still staring down at his hand out of fear. "Not gonna do it. We are on a date. And I am not gonna let some petty fairytale thief ruin it. And there's an ice wall around the town… He can't get away. I'll find him, but he is not gonna ruin this night."_

 _"Killian?" Emma questioned worryingly once she finally did notice, and saw the strange sense of fear in his eyes while he remained distracted, until she reached across the table and gently took hold of his left hand to pull him back to her as she tenderly laced her fingers between his own. "Hey… Look. It's okay. It was just a glass of wine."_

 _Once she pulled him out of his mind, Killian smiled at her, yet she couldn't help but notice it wasn't his normal smile, and then at last he apologized to her saying, "Sorry, love. I uh… don't know what got into me."_

Emma continued to hold his hand out of concern while she watched him looked down at it again worryingly, until the waiter returned with more wine and some fresh bread as he set it all down on the table between them, forcing Emma to pull away from him. The waiter apologized to both Emma and Killian again for the trouble which the thief had caused, took their order, then walked away as the Captain looked back at the woman across from him so he could distract himself from worrying too much over something that might have been nothing.

The Savior watched him as he picked up his glass and took a sip of wine to try to push down whatever she sensed was troubling him, until finally she asked with concern, "Killian? Are you alright? If you're worried about attacking that thief, you shouldn't be. He deserved it. He spilled wine on my lap, but thankfully not much got on my dress. And it's not like you did anything wrong. You were defending me. I appreciate that. It was very sweet."

"Aye, love," he quietly responded to her, grateful for her understanding, then he changed the subject in an attempt to get his mind off of what he'd done, as well as his fears he was fighting hard to suppress so long as he was with Emma. "So… I do hope you enjoy… Italian food, like the owner and the waiters here call what they serve here. I can't say I've ever had anything on their menus before. If you don't like it…"

"I'm sure it'll be wonderful," she answered him assuredly. "I may not have ever had their food either, but I do love Italian food. I always have, although… I don't ever think I've had it much myself, even before I came here to Storybrooke. Maybe once or twice in New York, but in Boston, I was always too busy working. And before that… Well, I'd rather not get into my life before that. Being in and out of the foster care system… becoming a thief myself and living life on the run with… Neal. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring the mood down."

Killian looked at her and shook his head while he gently replied, "You haven't. I would like to get to know your life before you arrived here in Storybrooke. That is after all what dating is for, right?"

The Savior smiled at him again as she responded, "Right. But you know so much more about me, than I know about you. Tell me something about yourself… about your past that maybe few people know about. Please?"

"There's not much about my past that isn't a sad tale, Swan," her Captain said despondently, as Emma tenderly reached out to lay her hand down over his left hand once again despite sensing his sudden discomfort that appeared in his furrowed eyes when she did so, even though he struggled to push his emotions aside while they continued talking. "I don't remember much of my life before… Well, never mind. I think… the only thing I could tell you without bringing our evening down much more is that when Liam and I became officers within the Royal Navy, it was the first time in my life I remembered feeling truly happy. At least until I met you. I know our story was hardly love at first sight like your parents' love story, but… You brought happiness back into my life, Emma. When I thought it impossible. That's why I love you. That's one of the reasons why I love you. Even if you will never love me back the same way and believe me, it's all right. I understand."

"That isn't exactly taking things slow, but strangely… I am okay with you telling me how you feel, Killian," Emma whispered gently, while he tightened his grip over her hand, as if to try to will her power and strength to flow through her into him to give him back some of his own when he lowered his eyes again. "About me… Whatever's troubling you, you can tell me anything. And if you're not ready to, that's okay too. Just try not to let it bring you so down on yourself. You're a good man and I'm here with you because I want to be. I promise."


	17. Chapter 17

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Seventeen

Meanwhile…

Henry walked into Granny's Diner for dinner while Emma was out on her date with Killian, expecting and even hoping to be alone. Things were changing all around him and while he knew that's what happened in life, not all of the changes were good. The boy was happy of course for his birth mother because she has finally begun to allow another man in her life since his father. And while he wasn't so sure Hook was good for her at first, and he was apprehensive about having another father figure, he liked the pirate Captain. And Hook had made it very clear he loved Emma, and would die for him as much as he would for her.

Unfortunately, his adopted mother wasn't so lucky. She had possibly lost Robin for good because her sister turned out to still be alive, and then she forced Regina and Robin apart by pretending to be the archer's wife he had long believed to be dead. And what was worse, was that Robin might have just learned the real Marian had originally died by his mother's own hands, until her past was altered too when Zelena killed her for a second time. Robin might never be able to forgive his mother and it would crush Regina's heart.

So… when Granny placed his food he had ordered down in front of him, he just stared at it and started pushing it around with his fork until he finally just laid the utensil back on the table and pushed it aside, then simply took a few sips of his hot cocoa with cinnamon before he placed that aside as well.

However, Granny walked by and noticed this, then she stood in front of the teenager and stated gruffly, "Nu… uh… I've already had one picky eater today. Earlier this morning. And I couldn't get him to eat. But you're still a growing boy and neither of your mothers would be happy if you refused to get what I'm guessing is at least one meal in?"

Henry looked at her in frustration as he replied, "This isn't the only meal that I've had today, Granny. I ate some cereal this morning. Grandma made sure that I did. It's just that right now, I'm not very hungry."

"Because you're worried about me," Regina then responded, when she suddenly appeared beside her son after she entered the diner through the back way, carrying with her a stack of comic books to offer him, as some kind of peace offering. "I'm so sorry, Henry. I never should have pushed you away when all you wanted to do was try to help me. I can't really apologize enough. But I was kind of hoping maybe these would help to soften the pain I caused you a little."

"These are great, Mom," the twelve year old answered her and smiled, then finally wrapped his arms around her before Regina took a seat on the barstool beside him. "But I don't need you to bribe me with comic books to get me to forgive you. I already did. I understand why you needed some time on your own. But you're not alone anymore. I do want to help you and so do a lot of people here. I'm glad you've come here. Have you spoken with Robin at all?"

The former Evil Queen shook her head and looked down at one of the comics she picked up in front her, then replied, "No. Not yet. I know he must be hurting terribly. And I can't even begin to imagine what he's thinking about me right now. He must hate me. Besides… I did kill the real Marian. That is until Emma and Hook changed her past too, causing her to now have been killed by Zelena. I'm not really sure that makes it any better. She is my sister after all. My point is… I'm not sure if Robin ever knew that I had been the one to kill his wife before, but he does now. And it isn't just that. For more than a whole day, both Robin and Roland believed Marian was a part of their lives again. Yet now… she's dead all over again. Poor Roland."

Henry reached over to take his mother's hand into his own after he finished taking some more bites of his dinner like Granny had urged him to do now that he was feeling much better because his mother finally came to him looking for help and comfort, then the teenager looked over at her while he responded, "You'll find a way to help them. And in time, Robin will forgive you, Mom. He loves you too much to just let you go. Even if he does know now whether or not the woman you used to be killed Marian. Mom's forgiven Hook for all of his sins because she sees only the good in him now. Robin does the same with you and has pretty much since you two met."

"I hope you're right, Henry," she said quietly and smiled at her son, then quickly leaned in close to kiss the top of his head before she playfully rubbed his head to mess up his hair. "I'm glad I finally broke out of my slump and came here to see you. You always did know how to make me feel better."

 _"Isn't it funny how these are just… ink and paper but everything in your storybook is real?" Regina then curiously asked her son again out of the blue once she picked up another of the comic books and began to shuffle through its pages to study some of the pictures, even read some of the words as well. "Makes you wonder who wrote it, doesn't it?"_

 _Henry then turned to look at her strangely as he questioned, "The storybook?"_

 _His adopted mother shrugged as she glanced at him again and mumbled, "Mm… hmm."_

 _"No one knows," he answered._

 _"Oh, come on…" Regina replied again when she put the comic she was holding back down on the counter to look over at him again. "You're such an expert on all this. You've read it cover to cover. There's nothing in the book that gives… even a clue?"_

Her son shrugged again as he was about to continue, until an idea suddenly came to him and he suddenly responded excitedly, "Mom… you're a genius. You've just given me a great idea that might help you more than just us simply talking with one another again. I mean… it's a long shot, but if it works…"

Regina eagerly questioned, "What is it, Henry?"

"In the storybook, there are all kinds of stories about each of you that are true," Henry answered, while he quickly pulled it out of his backpack, then began to shuffle through the pages until he came to one of the stories about his adopted mother back when she was still the Evil Queen. "Except that we've changed some of them because of my other Mom, who's given us all the strength to fight to change our own. Which is what we need to continue to do for you too."

"I'm not sure I understand what you're saying, Henry?" she replied out of confusion while she glanced down at the storybook, then back at him again.

Henry pointed to her in one of the pictures as he continued, "In all of your stories, you're only written as a villain. We've learned from past experiences that villains aren't supposed to get happy endings, yet Hook is fighting for his own happy ending like hell. And he and Mom are happy together. Not to mention that Gold is also together with Belle. They did get married after all, you know? What if we work together to find whoever might have written this book? If things between you and Robin work out like I believe they will… it's possible we can find whoever wrote this storybook and ask him to write you a new happy ending."

 _Regina smiled over at her son while he went on saying, "We have to change the book because it's wrong about you. We just have to find the clues."_

 _"We?" the Mayor questioned again._

 _"It'll be our own secret mission," he excitedly added, as the door opened again when Robin walked inside the diner, then stared a moment at Regina when he saw her sitting at the bar with her son before he decided to walk over to join them._

 _Neither of them noticed who had just entered, as Regina chuckled softly, then she responded, "Like that 'Operation Viper' you had with Emma."_

 _Henry quickly corrected her, "Cobra.' But yeah. This one we'll call Operation…"_

 _"Mongoose," Regina finished for him upon thinking up a name herself while the teenager looked down at the counter deep in thought._

 _"Perfect," he answered her with a big smile on his face. "Operation Mongoose' it is."_

And then, the archer spoke up from behind Regina as he inquired, "Operation Mongoose'… is it? Sounds like an adventure. I do hope you'll explain it to me some time."

Henry and Regina immediately turned to look up at him when they heard his voice, as Regina looked at him worryingly and apologetically, until he then spoke again when he continued, "Regina, I… was hoping we could talk. I know it's been a couple of days and I can only imagine what you've been going through. And for that, I really am sorry."

"You're sorry for me?" she asked in confusion, while Henry stood up to move himself into a booth to wait for his mother once he quickly finished his breakfast, so they could talk without him being there to listen to their conversation. "I'm the one who's sorry about everything that's happened. For Marian turning out to be my sister… for Zelena deceiving you by making you and Roland believe Marian had come back to you through some miracle that unfortunately turned out too good to be true… And for you finding out the hard way that it had been me who killed Marian initially. I promise… I never knew who she was back when I had her kill… executed. And even if I did know who she was, if I had known that I had killed the woman who was your wife back when we had barely begun to get to know one another… I would have told you. I would have."

"I believe you," Robin replied in understanding, as he moved to sit down at the bar on top of the barstool on her other side and then began to speak to her from his heart. "And the woman who did that was the Evil Queen. She wasn't you, Regina. I know that. Even when you don't. I wasn't angry with you these last few days. I didn't run off like I had because I blamed you for any of what happened. I was confused… a bit shocked… and mortified really. Besides… Marian returned and I made you feel like my feelings for you meant nothing, which I honestly didn't mean to do. Believe me when I say, I've been just as confused about my feelings for you, as I was about my feelings for the woman I believed to be my wife. Out of honor, I would have chosen to be with her, but it wouldn't have changed how I feel about you any. And it killed me that I hurt you. I love you, Regina. I have for some time now. I hope you know that."

Regina smiled at him and laughed through her tears as they began to slip down her cheeks, then she responded happily, "I love you too. I guess this means I'm going to have to let Emma and Hook off the… hook. I've been holding a grudge against them all this time for messing everything up for us. Especially Emma."

She quickly leaned in to kiss him, as he kissed her back while Henry smiled at them from the booth nearby, then when the archer pulled back again, he turned his head to look over at the teenager as he smile faded a little upon thinking about his own son, and he stated, "I'm afraid that… I do have one request from you. It's for Roland actually. He's really hurting right now and he doesn't understand why his mother's suddenly no longer here. Thank God he wasn't there when Zelena revealed herself. I tried to explain it to him, but…"

"I think I can help you," the former Evil Queen continued for him when she understood what he was trying to ask her for. "I don't know if it's the solution you're looking for, but if you'd like… I can conjure up a forgetting potion. It won't make him forget his mother, but it would make him forget she was ever here. So that he won't have that pain he put behind him after he lost her the first time."

"Thank you, Regina," Robin answered in sincerity, then leaned in to kiss her again before he pulled back again to look into her eyes. "So, about 'Operation Mongoose'…?"


	18. Chapter 18

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Eighteen

Inside the Snow Queen's lair…

Ingrid was sitting on her throne while she watched Emma and Killian closely on their date within her magic mirror. She had smiled maliciously upon seeing how the effects of her mirror had taunted the pirate enough to prompt him to turn to the Dark One to ask for his hand back. As she was smiling now. And having watched their earlier encounter as well, the Snow Queen understood why Hook kept staring down at his hand often like he was afraid of it. Her plan against the man who loved the Savior was going better than she could have hoped.

Unfortunately, she was interrupted when the Dark One walked in as he tapped his cane upon the floor while he sauntered towards her, studying his surroundings. As he did so, Ingrid made the images within her mirror fade, then neither one of the villains spoke at first. Not until Gold stood a few feet away from her throne, then turned to face her as he grinned.

"I like what you've done with the place," he said snidely. "You've clearly made yourself at home and it's only taken you… how long to do so?"

"I'm not sure what you mean," the Snow Queen coolly responded to him, then she began to observe his cane while he ever so slightly favored his right leg.

Gold chortled softly and then he retorted, "Oh, come now, dearie… Don't think that I don't know you've been living here in Storybrooke since Miss. Swan was still a young girl living in the foster care system. After you tried to adopt her until things didn't quite go your way. Much like they didn't the other day when you tried to draw your precious niece, Elsa in… until that plan was thwarted by the Savior as well. Miss. Swan has an irritating habit of thwarting us villains' plans. But then… that was what she was born to do and I helped bring her here. So I can't really be too cross with her now, can I?"

When Ingrid only looked at him in surprise by how much he seemed to really know about her, the Dark One continued, "No… I don't recall you living here during the Evil Queen's dark curse. And I didn't remember you until just the other day. Until Elsa came to me seeking help to find whoever had attacked the girl wearing a red cape. I also remembered she must have been the one who remained trapped inside that urn I stole from you and kept hidden within my vault for the last… thirty years. Until of course she came back through the time portal along with Emma and her filthy pirate."

"I don't care how much you seem to know, or think you know about me and my reasons for being here, Rumplestiltskin," the Snow Queen finally answered him out of frustration. "My reasons are my own and I don't need your help. At least not yet. But should that change, I will come to you when I'm ready."

"I'm certain you will," Gold replied again, then turned back to look into the mirror and examined its decorative detail. "When I first walked in here, I couldn't help but notice you were snooping in on Emma's date with Captain Hook. It's strange… the pirate came to me earlier this morning asking me for his hand, which I cut off centuries ago in a disagreement that has made him my oldest enemy still to this day. I find it strange, because in all the years since we've been said enemies, he's never once come to me seeking me for it back. Not even after I might have done so in a deal after he came to stay in Storybrooke to try to win the Savior's heart. So I asked myself… what has suddenly made him feel the need to have his hand back now? He's been together with Emma for some time and being one handed never seemed to bother him… until today. Am I right to suspect you might have had something to do with that? You do seem to be awfully pleased while you were watching them just now. When I know that the Captain only stands in the way of your plans for the Savior."

Ingrid nodded when she rose from her throne and walked over to stand in front of her mirror, as she conjured the images once again so she could continue to keep her eyes on Emma and the pirate, then she responded calmly, "He does. But I doubt he'll be trouble for much longer. You're right, Dark One. I did step in to try to put a kink into their relationship. Last night in fact. I drew the Captain here to my lair once he said goodnight to Emma… and I allowed my mirror to force him to see the very worst in himself. And now, he's tormented by his doubt that he could ever be good enough for a woman as special and beautiful as Emma is. That a one handed pirate like him is a fool for thinking he could be what she needs. And he doesn't remember ever being here or having heard the voices crying out to lure him here. I made sure of that."

Gold nodded and grinned again, then answered, "Very clever, dearie. I must say I admire your tactic. Very much in fact. So much so, that I'm even grateful. Because you've given me the opportunity to have my own fun. I've gotten even deeper into his head and soon… Soon, the Captain will become my pawn in helping me to rid myself of another threat to my plans. Soon enough, he'll come begging me to rid him of his hand again."

"I didn't do it for you or for your gratitude, Rumplestiltskin," the Snow Queen coldly replied once more. "But because you've inadvertently accelerated my plans with Hook, I'm going to offer you something to show you my gratitude as well. I believe just before Emma and her pirate fell through the Wicked Witch's time portal, you attempted to kill Zelena inside of her jail cell in order to avenge your son."

"I didn't attempt to kill Zelena," the Dark One darkly chided, as his eyes grew cold when he turned his head to look at the villainess again. "I succeeded."

Ingrid shook her head while she responded, "No… I'm afraid you didn't. She's still very much alive and is currently the newest resident down in the cells within the mental ward beneath this town's hospital. Her survival story is a bit complicated, but the short version is that she came back to Storybrooke pretending to be Robin Hood's dead wife. The Wicked Witch has fooled you, Dark One. She fooled you quite well it seems."

Gold glared at her until his phone suddenly began to ring, and he pulled it out to discover that his wife was calling him, but he quickly lowered it as he looked at the villainess again, then he answered her irritably, "Not for long. You'll forgive me if I must leave now. I have to call back my wife before she worries about me. Thank you for the information. And keep up the good work."

"Do you really mean that?" the Snow Queen called out to him as the Dark One started to walk away in order to leave.

"So long as you don't stand in the way of my own plans, you can do whatever it is you wish, dearie," he replied to her once more, after he had paused a moment to say so, yet didn't turn around to face her again before he finally vanished within a red smoke cloud.


	19. Chapter 19

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Nineteen

Meanwhile…

Belle was sitting at home alone with one of the books she had borrowed from the mansion so she could read it, while she waited for her husband to come home from the long day he spent at his shop. Sadly, she was none the wiser about his true motivations for spending the next couple of days since their one night honeymoon so busy working. Nor did she suspect he was currently inside the Snow Queen's lair to discuss certain matters with the villainess keeping everyone trapped within the boundaries of their town.

It was just about dinner time, so the beauty finally laid down her book and walked into the kitchen as she began to look in their fridge and the cupboards for something she could make them. When she didn't really find much, she pulled out her cell phone and was about to call Rumple to find out when he would be home and if he could bring them something to eat from Granny's.

However, a knock sounded at the door and Belle walked out of the kitchen and into the living room so she could answer it, surprised and happy to find Ruby now standing in front of her with food from Granny's in her hands as though Little Red Riding Hood had read her mind only seconds ago.

Red was the first of them to speak up as she raised the bag of food and exclaimed, "I thought maybe you could use some dinner and perhaps a girls night tonight. We all know Gold's been working late at the shop. So I hoped to come by to keep you company and to try to cheer you up. Unless you have plans?"

Belle smiled at her and shook her head while she answered, "You have no idea how happy I am to see you tonight, Ruby. Please… come in. It's been so quite around here. And while normally I love it so that I can spend my alone time reading, some nights I also really miss the company."

"You're right that Rumple's been working late a lot, but he's been very busy," the red haired woman continued, as Ruby walked by her to come inside and take a seat like Belle asked her to do. "Especially with this Snow Queen being here in town. He says that he's working on trying to learn about who she really is, so we can learn why she's here and discover a way to defeat her if doing so becomes necessary."

"I'm sure he will," Ruby assured her, then sat down on the couch in front of their coffee table and began to open the bags to pull out the food she had brought for them. "I brought you your favorite burger… just how you like it, and fries. I like my burger with plain old ketchup and mustard with a pickle too, but I prefer my meat a little rarer than you. The 'wolf thing' you know. Oh… and a little onion of course."

The beauty laughed and then as she picked up one of her fries to eat it, she looked at her friend again and responded, "Thank you."

The dark haired woman smiled as she replied, "You're very welcome. So… did you hear that Emma has finally asked Hook out on a date? It happened just this morning. I was there and they are so adorable together."

"That's so good," Belle honestly answered her. "Killian's done so much to turn his life around so he can finally be happy. And he does deserve to be. Just like Rumple. And I know Emma's struggled with Neal's death too, so I'm very happy for her. That's she's willing to accept love into her life again with another man, who I can tell loves her more than life itself."

"I couldn't agree with you more," Red responded, then at last took a bite of her burger before an idea suddenly dawned on her. "You know… we should invite Ashley and Aurora over tonight as well. They can let their husbands look after their children for one night. Kathryn too."

Belle smiled and sighed, then she replied, "As much as I'd love to, I'm not sure when Rumple will be home. But I would love to have another girls night out. All of us. We can invite Emma, Mary Margaret, Elsa, and Regina too. If they're not too busy trying to fight the Snow Queen that is."

Ruby nodded in agreement as she answered, "Of course."

"You know what?" the beauty then stated again between bites of her own burger. "I'm going to call my husband to see when he'll be home tonight. And if he'll be awhile, maybe you and I can catch a movie together. At the very least… we can watch one here. I feel like it's been ages since I've watched a good movie."

"Well… you do read a lot," her friend responded and then smiled. "I've found you sitting in the library with your nose stuck in a book more times than I can count. And it's a good thing you do, because you're the best researcher in this town. I don't know where we'd all be were it not for you being willing to research a number of the problems we've faced."

Belle thanked her, then she pushed her husband's name in her contacts list on her cell phone to call him. As she did so, he didn't answer her call and a part of her suspected that he wouldn't. However, much to her surprise, Rumple called her back a few minutes later, just as she finished eating her burger, then continued to pick at the fries she had left to eat.

When she quickly picked up, she spoke first in sincerity saying, "Rumple… I'm so glad you called me back. How is work going tonight?"

As Gold walked through his shop towards his back counter once he returned from the Snow Queen's lair, he deceitfully replied, "I'm afraid I've been a bit busy here. I'm sorry I missed your call just now. Is everything all right?"

"Yes… of course, I'm fine," his wife answered him again. "Actually… I'm better than fine. Ruby's here. We're having a quiet girls night in until you come home. Do you think you'll be home soon?"

"I was just preparing to close the shop for the night," he responded to her, as he turned the sign over on the door to face the closed sign outwards, then used his magic to turn off all the lights in the room. "I hope Ruby has brought you something to eat for supper from Granny's. I realize now that we really need to do some shopping for groceries soon."

The beauty replied, "She did. Burgers and fries. She brought some over for you too. We can warm it up when you get here."

The Dark One smiled, as he said gently, "That sounds wonderful. Be sure to thank her for me. And I truly am sorry for making myself so busy, Belle. I promise… as soon as this Snow Queen is defeated, you and me… we'll go off together somewhere to have the proper honeymoon we deserve. I'll see you shortly. Goodbye."

Once Gold hung up, he pocketed his phone, then started towards the door to leave. Yet just as he was about to, he realized he should bring something home for his wife as a way of offering her more than just a mere apology for being so late. So… Gold conjured a bouquet of hyacinth flowers into his hands to give to her, then he walked out of his shop, and locked up. But as soon as he got into his car, he was surprised when he suddenly became ambushed, as Hook suddenly appeared beside him once the pirate got into the passenger's side.


	20. Chapter 20

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Twenty

Once Emma and Killian finished eating, Tony himself came over to the table to apologize again for the earlier debacle and offered to give them their meals for free. However, Killian insisted he pay like the gentleman he was, knowing that no one at the restaurant was at fault for spilling the wine and bread. And because Tony and those who worked for him were initially from the Enchanted Forest like most everyone else living in Storybrooke were, aside from Emma and Henry, he accepted all forms of payment including the pirate Captain's doubloons.

"That was very good of you to do," Emma said to Killian softly once the restaurant's owner and their waiter walked away again after the bill had been paid. "Although, at some point I think I'm going to have to get you paying with cash or a credit card maybe."

"What's a credit card?" the centuries old man questioned with a raise of his brow in confusion.

Emma smiled and laughed quietly, then she looked up at him again as she replied, "Never mind. Why mess with what works? Everyone here is more than happy to accept any form of payment people might have. We'll just stick with helping you learn to use your cell phone."

Killian looked at her sternly while he answered, "Another bloody awful device. Though, I will admit, it can come in handy a little… when it actually works. And it's better than that talking device your father called… a walkie talkie? What impractical names you all have for these things you call 'conveniences."

"You'll get there," she responded, then stood up once Killian walked around the table again so he could help her out of her chair, before he tenderly draped his leather jacket around her shoulders as they prepared to leave to walk back to her apartment, a few hours after they had arrived.

"Thank you, Killian," the Savior replied to him in gratitude when he did so, then Killian draped his arm around her once they began to walk down the street. "I'm guessing you probably didn't go out on too many dates while you were going around swashbuckling… did you?"

He shook his head as he pulled his hand and arm away from her shoulders to lower them in front of him, then he answered, "Not really. In fact, I believe this was my first date I've ever been on. Even when I was with… Milah… We pillaged and plundered, walked into taverns to eat, drink, and to play dice or cards with other pirates or poor souls foolish enough to bet on games against us, but… I'm not sure any of those things could be considered a date. At least not one as wonderful as this night was. You've no idea how happy you made me when you walked into Granny's this morning to ask me to go out with you tonight, Swan."

Emma smiled again as she looked over at him, while they continued to walk slowly and responded, "I felt it was it right that I should. Especially after you mentioned we hadn't been out on even one just before the ice wall cave in. But more so… I wanted to because you've done so much for me, Killian. And I like you. A lot. I've been looking forward to this night for a long time."

"Would you mind… if I asked you why you went to Gold to ask him for your hand back though?" she then asked him worryingly, upon glancing over at him and noticing Killian appeared to be unconsciously holding his newly restored hand tightly in his other, while he rubbed it as though it were hurting him. "I don't mean to pry. And if you don't want to answer me, you don't have to of course. I'm just…"

"I just felt it was the right time," Killian brusquely said again, before she could finish as he quickly lowered his hands at his sides, not meaning to snap at her, but being unable to contain the discontent he felt towards himself inside at the moment as he stared down at the ground in front of him. "But I'm beginning to think I might have been wrong. It's just that… it's strange being without my hook now. I feel it's been too long that I've had two hands and it somehow makes me feel… wrong. I'm sorry… Emma. I didn't mean to…"

Emma swiftly laid her hand over his mouth tenderly when she stopped walking a moment and moved around to stand in front of him, then she shushed him before she somberly replied, "I understand. I can't even begin to imagine how it must feel to live without your hand for so long… and then to suddenly have it magically restored. I just hope you'll continue to adjust to it okay. Hook or hand… I like you either way."

 _At last, they arrived back outside of the Charmings' apartment building and Killian reached out to open the door for the woman he loved as they walked inside, then he followed her up the stairs towards her loft. However, Emma stopped in front of the door, as she turned around to face him so they could say goodnight like they had done the night before._

 _She smiled at him as she did so, and moved in closer to him while she spoke quietly saying, "Well… Not bad. You actually managed to make me forget that Storybrooke was under siege from an evil Snow Queen."_

 _"I was worried that our run in with that thief might have cast a pall," the Captain answered her out of concern by his earlier actions when he had attacked Will inside the restaurant. "I apologize for overreacting."_

 _"Hey," she gently whispered to him while she had begun to run her hands down his arms, before she took both of his hands into her own to offer him comfort and reassurance that everything was all right between them "It's okay."_

 _The Savior then blushed when he smiled, and she flirtingly smiled back at him as she asked, "You want to come in and have coffee with my parents, a newborn, and a human ice maker?"_

 _They both laughed, until Emma frustratingly added, "I really need my own place."_

 _"I suppose we'll just have to wait till next time," Hook responded again while he continued to look deep into her eyes._

 _"Next time?" she playfully questioned. "I don't remember asking."_

 _Despite feeling otherwise, Killian confidently expressed, "That's 'cause it's my turn. Will you go out with me again?"_

 _Emma looked at him adoringly for a few moments before she leaned in to kiss him, as Killian happily kissed her back while he released her hold so he could lay both his hands over her back to hold her in his arms. They continued to kiss, but while they did, Killian opened his eyes again, his fear suddenly getting the better of him as he slowly raised his left hand up to his eye level, and his eyes grew cold when he began to stare at it darkly, like he believed it would come to life again at any moment to harm the woman he loved._

 _However, Emma at last pulled back again after a few moments before anything could happen, remaining unaware something was still bothering him, then she slowly turned away from Killian while she released a sigh of relief to get out the emotions that had arisen within her after kissing him and she stated quietly, "Okay."_

 _"Good night, Killian," she lovingly continued as she turned back to him again after she returned his jacket to him, which he helped to pull away from her shoulders, and he only smiled softly._

 _"Good night," he finally whispered back after she walked inside her apartment, as he began to clench his jaw in worry while he struggled to push down the crippling fear he still felt since that morning, then at last turned away to leave the building, walking out once again into the cold night air._

Inside the Charmings' loft…

 _Once Emma closed the door behind her after she walked in, she leaned back against the door now behind her while she thought about her feelings steadily growing for the man she had just kissed good night. Because her mind was on Killian, she failed to notice both of her parents sitting over on the couch while they had been waiting up for her to return home from her date._

 _So, Mary Margaret suddenly startled her daughter when she asked eagerly, "So, how was it?"_

 _Emma immediately jumped as she turned to see her mother and father sitting there and laughed, especially upon seeing the look of contempt on David's face while they waited for her answer, then in disbelief she replied, "You guys are still awake."_

 _"We want to hear everything about the date," Mary Margaret excitedly continued._

 _"Just for the record, some of us don't want to hear everything," David uncomfortably mumbled despite his wife's enthusiasm._

 _The older Princess ignored her husband while she continued to question her daughter by asking, "How was the restaurant? Did you go anywhere after? Was there a good night kiss?"_

 _And then the Prince retorted, "That… for instance, is one of the things I don't want to know about."_

 _Upon feeling her own discomfort despite keeping a smile on her face because of how good Killian had made her feel, Emma simply continued walking towards the stairs so she could go to bed for the night as she grumbled, "I really need to get my own place. Good night, guys."_

 _"She seems happy," Mary Margaret then said again quietly upon observing her daughter until she walked away, while she and David watched their daughter climb the stairs._

 _"I guess he really has changed," David answered with surprise, upon seeing how happy Emma was for himself as well._

 _Then, from upstairs, Emma sternly called down to them, "I can hear you guys."_

Back outside…

 _After he had left Emma at the door, Hook began walking down the street again while still holding his hand, though this time he was very much aware he was doing so. He wasn't heading towards anywhere in particular, so instead he simply continued to walk. At least until he came across a drunken Will Scarlet, who attempted to break into the library using a lock pick to do so._

 _It was late and it appeared that Killian and this thief were the only ones out, so Killian took it upon himself to stop the younger man from entering inside after he mumbled, "Bloody hell."_

 _"That's what I say," Will responded crossly, then looked up from his efforts, suddenly beginning to feel a bit nervous upon seeing the man who had just been out on a date with the sheriff earlier that evening, and who had strangely attacked him for accidentally spilling the drinks on his girlfriend. "You."_

 _"I've been a pirate long enough to know there's nothing worth stealing in there," Hook sternly replied again as he pointed towards the building in front of them._

 _The young thief answered crossly, "That's what you think."_

 _When he returned to trying to get inside, Killian reached out his left hand and arm to stop him again while he spoke again saying, "You're drunk, mate. Go home."_

 _He tried to move Will away from the door, but the younger man then shoved Hook off of him forcefully as he angrily retorted, "Get off me, man."_

 _"What the hell, mate?" the thief then shouted once Hook suddenly shoved Will back, as he swiftly punched him hard across the face to knock him down to the ground before he moved forward again in an attempt to continue beating him… until Killian stopped himself upon realizing what he had just done while he stared down at his left hand in shock and backed away._

 _"You tell anyone about this, you're a dead man," the pirate cruelly threatened the thief once Will reached up to his face to hold his bloodied nose, as he coldly stared up at the man still standing above him, until the pirate swiftly walked away from him in a hurry._

 _"Bloody crocodile was right," Killian at last mumbled to himself once he walked around to the side of the library to get away, and stared down at his hand in fear again like he had been doing a lot throughout the night, as he realized now how much of a fool he had been not to heed the Dark One's earlier warning._

The Captain looked all around him trying to seek out any kind of answer on what he could possibly do to help himself, as Killian struggled with the raging emotions stumbling around inside his mind. Unfortunately, the only answers that came to him always led him right back to his enemy, whom he had gotten into this mess because of in the first place. Because he had failed to think through what he had done to get his hand back, not understanding the consequences that would come from trying to blackmail the Dark One.

Killian finally willed his legs to move, as he apprehensively made his way further down the street towards Gold's shop, knowing he had no choice but to talk with the only person who had the power to remove his hand again, so that his life could return to exactly as it was before that morning. Before he made a mess of things so badly.

However, once he reached the pawnshop, he stood there staring in through the dark window, seeing that the Crocodile had already closed up for the evening, then he finally walked around to the side where Gold's car was still parked to indicate the older man was still somewhere inside.

The Captain knew it would only be a matter of time before his enemy would leave his shop, then he planned to ambush Gold once he got into his car. However, the wait only made him grow more and more uneasy, as he deeply fretted the coming confrontation. Because Killian knew the Dark One better than anyone, and knew to expect the villain to gloat at his misfortune at the very least. All of a sudden, a scream escaped from his lips as Killian cried out in anger and then slammed his left fist against the wall in front of him after he turned to face it, over and over making his already bloodied knuckles from punching the thief, burn hotter as the cuts opened deeper. And Killian didn't care.

However, he turned his head upon hearing the backdoor of the shop open, then immediately backed around the front of the building long enough to keep himself hidden from view while he kept his eyes on Gold, as his enemy walked around his car to the driver's side to get in with a bouquet of purple flowers in his hand, no doubt meant for Belle.

 _Killian finally straightened up as he breathed in and out in order to help himself regain his composure before he confronted the Crocodile, then at last he rushed forward and quickly opened the passenger's side door to climb into the car, slamming it after him once he did so while Gold turned his head to stare at him coldly by the abrupt intrusion._

 _Hook no longer hesitated to talk to the villain, as he grumbled, "You were right."_

 _The Dark One glared at him as he snarled, "Get out."_

 _"I don't want this infernal hand anymore," the pirate Captain darkly responded, while he raised his left hand to show Gold the evidence of its dark power over him. "It's taken possession of me."_

 _"You should have heeded my warning when I offered it," his enemy from centuries ago coldly replied to him, once Gold saw the blood oozing out from the lacerations over his knuckles._

 _Still without looking the Dark One in the eyes, Killian continued angrily, "I can't control it. Remove the damned thing before it makes me do something you'll regret."_

 _At last, he looked at Gold, as the villain snidely questioned, "Was that a threat?"_

 _"Aye, mate," the pirate cruelly answered him. "Take it back, or Belle learns that the dagger she has is as fake as your new disposition."_

 _The shopkeeper retorted, "Oh… is it?"_

 _Hook looked at him again in confusion as he asked, "Is it what?"_

 _"Fake," the Dark One plainly responded._

 _"Well, you wouldn't have given me the hand if it weren't," Killian replied, while he struggled to understand what his enemy was saying._

 _The true villain continued coolly, "After you extracted that price, I switched the real dagger back."_

 _Hook stared at the Crocodile in disbelief while he darkly stated, "No, you're lying."_

 _"Am I?" Gold questioned him and pointed down at his left hand, then summoned the pirate Captain's hook into his hand in order to taunt him with it. "Seems you've lost that leverage you once had. So if you want to part ways with that hand and get this back, there's only one way I'll help."_

 _"A deal," Killian at last muttered in regret upon understanding exactly what it was the Dark One was after, then turned away disappointedly, as he rolled his eyes in wait for his answer. "What do you want?"_

 _His enemy snidely answered him, "All in due time."_

 _The Captain raised his head, until he lowered his eyes to look down at his hand once more as he responded brusquely, "And you think I'm daft enough to agree to that without knowing the terms? I'll find another way to rid myself of this damned hand."_

 _"I'm afraid that's easier said than done," the Dark One replied. "You see… my magic put that hand on, and only my magic can take it off."_

 _Hook turned his head slightly to glare darkly at his hook from out of the corner of his eyes while the Crocodile spoke, as he struggled to keep his anger in. However, his rage suddenly took over him again, when the pirate swiftly grabbed the pointed piece of metal, that had been his left hand for more than two centuries, with his possessed hand first, as well as his right, and suddenly thrust his hook deep into Gold's chest, breathing shakily at the anger that had overtaken him. The villain merely cried out in shock by the action, not in the slightest amount of pain._

 _"You'd think you'd have learned the first time you buried that hook in me… it never sticks," Gold cruelly taunted while he stared down at the metal now sticking out of his body and then waved his hand until the hook simply vanished._

 _Killian looked over at his enemy out of shock and in fear by what he had just done, until he lowered his eyes to stare down at the vile appendage attached to his left arm while he answered, "That wasn't me."_

 _The villain looked over at Hook again as he then responded snidely, "You're losing control, dearie. Next time, you might do something to someone who can't be so easily fixed."_

 _"You have a deal," the Captain reluctantly replied to him in agreement at last, knowing that the Dark One had been referring to Emma when he spoke about him hurting someone who might not so easily be healed. "I'll do whatever it takes."_

 _"Oh… I do love it when they say that," Gold haughtily answered him as he smiled with glee. "Meet me at the docks tomorrow morning, Captain. We have work to do."_

Killian at last opened the door to get out, but before he disappeared into the night, his enemy called out, "And don't think you can run fast enough, or far enough to escape from me this time, Hook! Even if you think you'd be doing so to try to protect Emma or anyone else here that you love from yourself. You might be okay with living the rest of your life in misery, as your left hand slowly eats away at you until you've grown too weak and finally decide to end your miserable existence. No one here would mourn you. You would only become just another one of the people in the Savior's life who will abandon her, and Emma will come to hate you for it."

Hook leaned down to look over at him one last time while he responded in defeat, "You needn't remind me of what I already know, Crocodile. I understand. And I'll be there."


	21. Chapter 21

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Twenty-One

Once again inside the Charmings' apartment…

When Neal began to cry sometime late in the middle of the night, his mother tiredly rose from her warm bed where she'd been sleeping beside her husband until they were both awakened by their son's cries. Mary Margaret assured her husband she could take care of him without David having to get up as well, and told him to go back to sleep. However, he sat up and kissed her, then stood up from the bed to walk into the kitchen so he could fix her some tea he knew always helped her to fall back asleep. Mary Margaret thanked him and then quietly walked over to the crib so she could pick her son up to feed him like she always did at least twice throughout the night.

Once Charming finished preparing the tea and carefully set it down on the table for Mary Margaret when she was ready for it, he then returned to their bed and laid down while he waited for his wife to return by his side, before he turned over again to try to go back to sleep. The Princess then carried Neal over to the couch and turned on one of the lamps to let in a little light so she could see a little within the dark.

She had just barely finished, as Mary Margaret lifted her son up in front of her to smile at him upon seeing and hearing him laugh at her, then was surprised when Emma appeared before her as she came downstairs from her room above them while she said to her mother softly, "I certainly don't envy you. I wish I could say I don't know how you get through the day after nights like this, but I haven't been sleeping much better than you have."

The older woman motioned for her daughter to sit beside her on the couch, then she noticed the worry in Emma's eyes and asked her in concern, "Is everything all right? I thought you had a good time on your date tonight. You looked so happy when you came home."

"No… I did," Emma quickly responded, then she smiled upon remembering some of the words Hook had said to her out of love as she turned away in thought. "It was wonderful, despite the few things that went wrong."

"Sometimes, things do go wrong," her mother replied, then reached out to lay her hand down on her daughter's knee. "Is that what's keeping you awake right now? Whatever you think went wrong?"

The Savior shook her head as she answered, "No. I mean… not really. Killian was charming, charismatic, and cheeky like he always is. At least, most of the time. So long as he continued to push down whatever I knew was troubling him tonight. And something was, but I could tell he was afraid to talk with me about it. I wanted to push him to, but I didn't want to make him feel worse, so of course I didn't. But there's something else too. The way he kept staring down at his hand… like he was almost afraid of it."

Mary Margaret looked at her with surprise, then she asked, "Are you sure? I mean… it has been more than two hundred years since he's had two hands. I can only imagine how strange it must feel to him to suddenly have two again. Especially after he lost it in such a cruel and brutal way."

"Just after we arrived at the restaurant, the thief Dad and I ran into out in the woods yesterday tried to walk out so I wouldn't see him there," Emma continued when she attempted to explain why she felt worried like she did. "I don't know why he was there of all places, but he very well could have ruined our date before it even began. In trying to run, he bumped into the waiter coming over to our table with wine and glasses, which then spilled into my lap. It was fine really, but then… something strange happened. How Killian reacted. I've seen that kind of reaction from him back when he was still a villain, but only when he was really angry. Yet tonight, he looked at this thief like he was ready to kill him to defend me. I'm not saying Killian would ever do that. He would never let some thief of all people begin to unravel all of his hard work he's accomplished to change and become the hero he is in all of our eyes. But… it wasn't that look that worries me. It was the look afterwards. I snapped him out of his sudden rage, but then he stared down at his left hand like something was terribly wrong with it. I thought maybe it might have been hurting him. I'm hoping that's all it was, but I'm not so sure. I'm worried about him, Mom."

"I'm sure he'll talk to you about it when he's ready," her mother responded to her, more quietly than before upon seeing Neal had fallen asleep again within her arms. "If he was able to make you smile like you did when you first walked through this door earlier when you returned home, and again when I stated just now how happy he made you tonight… surely whatever was troubling him was short lived."

Emma nodded, then she looked down at her brother while she softly replied, "I hope so."

Mary Margaret tucked Neal back in his crib, then wrapped her arms around her daughter again to hug her before she answered, "If he is struggling with something, Emma… then you'll help him past whatever it is like you always have."

Down at the docks within the harbor…

Instead of returning to his room at Granny's Diner again after he walked away from talking with Gold, Killian walked down along the beach feeling completely defeated, then he entered the harbor and walked along the docks while he watched the small waves hitting the planks of wood. At last, he came upon the same bench where he had strangely awakened on the morning before and sat down as he pulled out his flask to have a drink that eventually turned into several more to help him quell the voices inside his mind telling him just how badly he had messed up. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough rum in all of Storybrooke to help him make the taunting fade away. Because not only was he losing himself to the evil bastard he had once been until Emma had made him a better man, but he was also trapped in an open ended deal with the man he hated more than anyone in all the worlds in order to get the Dark One to save him from himself. How could have been so stupid?

So… Killian continued to drink until his flask was finally empty, then began to stare off into the open ocean before him until his eyes grew tired enough, making him feel like he could pass out at any moment. He was hardly drunk, but he was exhausted and while he was afraid of the nightmares that might arise because of fear that has been nagging at him all day if he allowed himself to drift off, staying awake wasn't doing him much good either. It was hours until Gold would arrive to cash in on his side of the deal. So, Killian stayed and waited.


	22. Chapter 22

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Twenty-Two

Sometime fairly early the next morning…

Gold left his home after he dressed, kissed his wife good morning once she began to slowly wake up for the day herself, then he assured her that he wouldn't stay at the shop to work all day like he had been doing since their night together at the Sorcerer's mansion. Then, once he got into his car, he poofed himself to the harbor where he expected his long time enemy to be there already waiting for him to arrive so they could get on with fulfilling both sides of their deal as soon as they were able. The Dark One however, was more pleased by their new alliance because he knew just how much the pirate despised himself for allowing things to come to such a predicament.

 _"Good morning, Captain," the true villain snidely called out to Hook once he approached him, as he found the younger man lying passed out on top of a bench attached to a picnic table along the docks, where Killian had finally fallen into an uncomfortable sleep just a couple of hours earlier._

 _"Ah…" Killian groaned, then he weakly turned his head despite the painful headache pounding against his forehead in order to see who had awoken him, and saw his oldest enemy standing above him._

 _While Gold watched as Hook struggled against the pain from what he suspected was caused by him having too much to drink upon seeing the empty flask lying out on top of the table above him, then rubbed his head with his left hand, the villain continued, "Well… I trust you're ready."_

 _Killian struggled to sit up so he could face the Dark One while he answered coldly, "I'm ready to pay the price and get this over with."_

 _"Good," Gold stated smugly, then used his magic to produce the Apprentice's broom he had stolen from within the mansion to help him find another enemy, as the broom swiftly flew into his hand while he kept his eyes firmly on the pirate in front of him._

 _"What are we gonna do with that?" Hook questioned him in confusion upon seeing him summon up an object normally used to clean floors with._

 _Mr. Gold then looked over at broom while he replied, "This is gonna help me find an old friend."_

 _When it then began to walk on its own after the object strangely transformed, as arms formed at its sides and its bristles became like legs, both men watched it walk in a specific direction while the villain said to the Captain again, "After you."_

 _Killian at last stood up begrudgingly while he pulled his jacket back on after he had used it the night before to protect himself against the cold night air, grabbed his flask from off the table, and placed it back inside his pants pocket, then began following the broom as Gold followed behind him._

 _A short time later, the men still continued to follow it through the streets, until it at last turned up a long path that finally led them towards a small red cottage now in front of them once they arrived. A cottage that was secluded away behind trees and brush like they were protecting it._

 _"To whom is our bristled guide leading us?" Killian sternly questioned the Crocodile again, when he then began to follow after Gold now that they had arrived where the older man hoped to be._

 _"Someone who wronged me long ago," the Dark One menacingly responded without looking back at him, while he continued walking up onto the house's porch as the broom finally retransformed back into nothing more than a magicless broom. "And today, he's going to pay the price."_

 _At last, Gold raised his hand to knock gruffly against the door, until it opened up moments later when an old man with unruly grey flowing hair on the back of his head, as well as a neatly trimmed mustache and beard appeared before them, not looking happy to see the villain now standing before him._

 _The Dark One stared at him as he sneered cruelly, "Hello, old friend."_

 _He then turned and spoke to the pirate still beside him saying, "Captain, please see our host a seat."_

 _Killian glared at his Crocodile again until he regretfully complied when he finally stepped forward without so much as a word, then grabbed a hold of the Apprentice to force him back into the house and into a seat within the cottage's living room, while he continued to hold him down after he walked around to stand behind their captive once the man began to struggle against him._

 _Gold then entered the room behind them carrying the magical box he had stolen from the mansion, which the Apprentice immediately recognized when the villain placed it on the floor in front of him, and unsheathed his dagger before finally opening up the box in order to transform it once more into a tall pointed purple hat containing powerful magic, as it had been forged long ago by the Apprentice's master himself, the most powerful being said to have ever lived known merely to most as the Sorcerer._

 _"You have it," the Apprentice uttered when he looked up at him, surprised to see the hat within the Dark One's possession despite having spoken to him nights earlier upon sending the villain his projection in an effort to warn him not to go through with his plans._

 _"Don't tell me you doubted me," Gold snidely retorted._

 _The even older man than those who surrounded him answered coldly, "Every Dark One tries. Every one fails."_

 _Rumplestiltskin smiled and replied, "Might be time to update the motto."_

"You once cast a protection spell around it to try to keep me from picking it up from where you left it, but it appears even your magic isn't as powerful like it used to be," he smugly continued while he stared down at the hat, and reached out to run his fingers along its material that it had magically been spun from. "It was much easier to take it than I expected. It appears even your magic's weakened over the years. And I'm guessing as it passed over from the Enchanted Forest within the curse. Magic is quite different here than back home. Surely you've noticed."

 _"You may have the hat, but we both know you will never collect enough power to do what you want," the Apprentice darkly responded as he kept his eyes on the villain kneeling down in front of him._

 _Gold then answered haughtily, "Oh… I will. But alas, you won't be there to see it."_

Killian was also glaring down at the Dark One, until at last he questioned, "What are you going to do? I won't help you kill this man. Whoever he is. We may have made a deal that I was foolish to make, but I will do whatever I can to try to stop you… my hand be damned!"

"Do relax, Captain," his enemy coolly replied to him, as he raised his eyes to look up again at the pirate still standing behind the Apprentice as he continued to help him much against his will. "This kindly old man won't die, I assure you."

"Then what are you going to do?" Hook firmly retorted.

 _This time, the Dark One just ignored him as he turned his eyes back on the hat, then turned it so that its opening now faced the Apprentice and stood up, before the hat suddenly began to draw the powerful being inside of it within a strange magical vortex while Killian immediately stepped back out of shock when the Apprentice cried out, "No!"_

 _At last, he vanished from between them and the pirate Captain looked down at the hat again in confusion while he asked Gold with dread, "Where the hell did he go?"_

 _"Exactly where I need him," Mr. Gold responded to him, as he bent down again so he could pick up the hat and let out a sigh of relief and contentment._

"All right… I've done what you asked of me," Killian then grumbled as he started walking out of the room towards the door. "I'm leaving. And you have your end of our deal to fulfill."

However, the Dark One suddenly reached out to grab his shoulder and roughly pulled him around to face him again while he retorted, "Ah… ah… Not quite yet, dearie. I still need your help with one more task before I let you off the 'hook'… so to speak."

Hook glared at him and asked angrily, "What the devil do you want now? My help with pulling some other poor sod into that bloody hat? Forget it. That wasn't part of our deal."

"I believe our deal was left open for me to choose exactly what it is I want you to do for me and that includes what we're going to do in just a few minutes… as soon as you stop bellyaching and do as you've been told to do," Rumplestiltskin cruelly answered as he kept his grip on the Captain's shoulder firm, while he began to squeeze until at last, Killian relented upon realizing he wouldn't be able to fight his enemy in this battle.

"Fine!" he finally shouted, then struggled to pull free from the Dark One once Gold released him and began to rub his shoulder upon still feeling the pain left behind by his grip. "I'll do it. Where are we going?"

Gold raised his hand as he prepared to poof them away, then replied, "You'll see."

They suddenly vanished from the Apprentice's home within a red smoke cloud, then reappeared again somewhere Killian couldn't quite recognize at first until the uneasiness caused by being transported from one place to another passed. But once it did, he looked around him and saw they had appeared within the hallway of the mental ward beneath the hospital, in front of one of the prisoners' doors, though the Captain had no idea who was behind it. Locked away to protect the people of Storybrooke.

Hook looked down the hall on both sides of them and saw the ways were clear from any onlookers, then softly questioned in confusion, "Why have you brought us here? Who's in this cell that you've come to capture just like you've done to that old man?"

"Like we've done, Captain," the Crocodile snidely responded to him again. "And you shouldn't feel too guilty about doing what we've done to him, or what you're about to do to the witch just on the other side of this door."

"Zelena…" Killian immediately uttered upon quickly realizing just who Gold was talking about. "You've learned she's alive. And now you wish to pull her inside that hat of yours as well to collect her powers too."

Gold smiled and chuckled, then answered, "Now you're getting it. My only problem… is that Regina has cast a protection spell over her cell so I can't enter. Which is why I need you."

The pirate scoffed before he replied, "I've seen Her Majesty cast the same protection spell a number of times before. It's meant to keep anyone from entering, including me. So sorry."

"Only if you're not in possession of a little magic that can help to counteract her protection spell," the villain coolly sneered, as he then pulled out a small vile from his inside coat pocket containing a red powder and forced it into his own enemy's left hand for him to use against the Queen's magic, while he cruelly held the cursed appendage in front of Hook's eyes to make his point clear. "Just feed off of the hate and lust for villainy manifesting within you from this hand of yours as you do what you know you must do, and perhaps you'll find you might actually enjoy it. Now go."

"Oh… and don't forget the hat," Gold quickly added, when he also handed Hook the hat as well, then stepped back to watch as the pirate did as he had been told to do.

Killian unstopped the topper from the vile and swiftly poured the powder over the doorway, as Regina's protection spell swiftly faded away. Then, he carefully reached down to open the door half expecting to suddenly become shocked by some burst of power, or something similar. However, when nothing happened, he continued by opening the door and stood within the entryway as he looked sternly at the Wicked Witch with regret in his eyes despite who she was, while Zelena immediately sat up upon seeing the pirate had come down to see her.

When she did so, she spoke up in surprise saying, "Hello, Captain. I didn't expect you of all people would come down here to see me."

She continued maliciously, "Especially not after what I had done to you to rid your Savior of her magic. But then… she did get it all back despite my best efforts, so perhaps you've found it hardly worth the effort to hold a grudge against me. Or have you come down here to try to kill me?"

"I'm not the sort of man who seeks revenge against everyone who's ever wronged me anymore," Killian responded in spite, that was geared more towards himself than the witch sitting on the cot in front of him, as he slowly walked further inside the room while Gold remained outside on account of the magic still in place to keep him out, yet moved to stand in the doorway so he could watch. "I've come on request of the Dark One. I wish I didn't have to, but then we villains always get exactly what it is we deserve because of our foul misdeeds."

"What is that?" Zelena asked him upon seeing Hook then raise the glowing hat, until the pirate bent down to lay it on the floor right side up.

Killian hesitated a moment, as he stared down darkly at his cursed hand and struggled to ignore the voices taunting him over and over. However, the darkness within him finally overpowered his senses and at last he tipped the hat over so that its opening faced Zelena as he had seen Gold do earlier to ignite the power from within it. All of a sudden, the magical golden vortex that had pulled the Apprentice inside of the artifact arose again, when it immediately drew the Wicked Witch inside as she screamed, until she vanished just like he had.

Killian suddenly stumbled when he felt his knees buckle beneath him upon feeling his guilt plaguing him worsen, and made his way over to the cot to sit down before he fell. It didn't so much trouble him to do like he had to Zelena because of who she was and all she'd done. But what did hurt was that he was doing all of this so Emma would hopefully never find out he hadn't changed like she believed. That he'd only been suppressing his cruelty for awhile. Deep down, he was still a villain and a coward. And it would kill him if the woman he loved ever gave up on him for being as such.

A little later that afternoon, inside Gold's Pawnshop…

 _Once the Dark One and Captain Hook reappeared inside upon leaving the hospital through the villain's magic like they had entered, Gold walked over to the back counter and bent down behind it to pull out the glass jar which once held the pirate's hand for two centuries, then set it down again on the counter top while Killian stared darkly at his cursed appendage he lifted in front of him as he demanded, "Okay. We're done. I've fulfilled our deal. Now take it off."_

 _His enemy momentarily stared at the pirate until he waved his hand again over Hook's left, then the hand swiftly appeared back within the jar, while Killian's hook reappeared attached to its brace upon his arm like it had been since Rumplestiltskin had cut it off of him, but before the Captain could turn to leave, he spoke cruelly saying, "Our deal… actually isn't complete."_

 _"I say it is," Hook crossly retorted while he glared back at him, putting his brave facade back in place in order to face the Crocodile again. "You can no longer control me, mate. I just saw you use the real dagger, so I know you're lying to Belle. You've got nothing on me."_

 _"Security tape…" Gold sternly stated, when he then reached out to pick up two surveillances tapes which were lying further back on the counter, before he set them back down in front of Hook. "…from the house we just left and down in the hospital ward. How do you think Miss. Swan is gonna react when she finds out what you did to that kindly old man?"_

The Dark One chortled and quickly added, "Zelena too of course… even if she is the Wicked Witch?"

 _The pirate narrowed his eyes while he looked down at them and answered, "I know how that device works. And if I'm on them, so are you."_

 _"And now I'm not," his enemy replied smugly again, once he used his magic to remove any evidence of himself on either of the tapes. "But you are."_

 _"I only did what you asked… so I could rid myself of that cursed hand, so I could become a better man," Killian responded again, even though deep down he didn't really believe his own words. "Emma will understand that."_

 _Gold questioned, "Even when she finds out the truth?"_

 _The Captain looked at him in confusion as he asked, "What truth?"_

 _And then, the Dark One finally revealed something Hook couldn't have ever expected despite having known the kind of bastard the vile man truly was longer than everyone else, when he answered, "This hand isn't cursed."_

 _"No, you said…" the younger man uttered as he looked between him and his hand back inside the jar again, and struggled to understand what he was saying while Gold chortled._

 _"You were right," his Crocodile cruelly continued, while Hook could only stare at him in disbelief. "Dark One lies. Dark One tricks. This hand is nothing but a lump of flesh. The only thing it did was give you permission. Permission to be the man you really are… Not some puppy dog chasing after the object of his affection, but a ruthless pirate who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. I did you a favor. I helped you remember the darkness that lies beneath."_

 _Hook's eyes grew cold while he glared at the man he hated before him and then threatened sinisterly, "Then you know that that darkness will have no problem crushing Belle's heart."_

 _The true villain knew Killian didn't truly mean what he threatened because he had turned soft, yet he still warned him darkly in return, "If you go after my love… You will surely lose yours. You threatened my marriage, tried to destroy the only light in my life, and for that… you will owe me as long as you live."_

 _"What if I'm willing to take you down with me?" the Captain questioned him coldly in reply._

 _"I think… I know you better than you know yourself, dearie," Gold snidely responded to taunt him once more, as he walked out from behind the counter again in order to stand directly in front of the man he now had complete leverage over. "So here we are, Captain. Still in business together. I think… you and I are gonna have some fun."_


	23. Chapter 23

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Twenty-Three

When Killian at last left Gold's sight once his hook had been restored to him, every part of him wanted to run directly to the woman he loved so that her smile alone could give him the comfort he sorely needed, after he had been coerced into helping his enemy do his dirty work since early that morning, until night had just begun to fall. While the pirate had gotten what he wanted, first when he asked for his hand restored, then again when he had asked for the cursed hand to be removed again, he deeply regretted he was now in deeper with the Dark One than when he had first gone to see him. And all because Killian was afraid to admit to Emma he wasn't a hero like she believed he was. Because he was afraid of losing her. The once dreaded Captain Hook hated himself for being the coward he always accused Rumplestiltskin of being.

So, instead of seeking Emma out to spend what remained of the evening with her, he returned to his room and remained alone for awhile, ignoring all calls and messages. Killian couldn't face her again out of shame, and he had no idea how he was going to explain to her why he once again had his hook instead of two hands. However, he eventually started towards the station anyways against his instincts telling him to hide away.

Earlier that same morning…

Emma spent most of her morning and early afternoon at the sheriff's station with David as they busied themselves with paperwork between other busy tasks. Elsa and Mary Margaret had come by with food for lunch while they all talked, until Emma had been called out to see to a disturbance caused at Henry's school by one of the Lost Boys who had pulled the fire alarm on a dare.

As much as she wanted to focus on trying to find the Snow Queen, or whatever it was the villainess wanted in Storybrooke, Emma knew that as sheriff she had to fulfill her other duties that kept he fairly busy most days as well. It was one of the many reasons why she was grateful to her father for being willing to remain on as sheriff alongside her.

Emma at last returned to her yellow bug parked outside of the school once she finished talking with the boys involved in the trouble and the townsfolk who had adopted, or fostered them. But before she turned the key in the ignition, she pulled out her cell phone to try calling Killian again, like she had done at least three other times throughout the day trying to check in on him since their date the night before. Unfortunately, he wasn't answering any of her calls, nor had he made any attempt to call her back. It wasn't like him and so she was increasingly growing concerned something might be wrong like she suspected while on their date and afterwards.

At last, she began to drive, as she headed towards the harbor thinking Hook might be out there somewhere, or possibly along the beach. However, once she turned the corner in front of the town's library and clock tower, Emma was startled when her car suddenly began to spin around as the wheels strangely slipped on ice within the middle of the street. Thankfully, she was quickly able to regain control, then she anxiously climbed out of her car so she could investigate wherever the ice would lead her.

As she did so, the Savior mumbled and immediately pulled out her gun, knowing that the Snow Queen was close by, watching and following her around from somewhere she could remain hidden for whatever the villainess' reasons were for doing so. However, it surprised Emma when the woman in her elegant white gown then appeared just ahead of her down an alley between two shops and simply smiled at her, before she simply vanished again like she had never been there. Were it not for the ice trail Ingrid left behind, Emma might have considered she had only imagined seeing the Snow Queen.

The Savior finally gave up her search when he phone began to ring, and hoping that it would be Hook finally calling her back, she quickly answered it without bothering to look at the screen to see who it was. She was a bit disappointed when it turned out to be Belle on the other end, but the beauty called with trouble of her own. So, Emma returned to her car and discovered that the ice beneath it had already melted, then she drove just down to the street to the library where Belle had told her someone had broken inside and was passed out drunk on the floor.

She quickly walked inside, then became surprised again upon seeing that the drunkard was none other than the thief who'd been trying to run away from her ever since they first met out in the woods a couple of days ago, and who had crashed her date with Killian the night before. But what surprised Emma more than the identity of the thief, was that he appeared to break into the library for the soul purpose of stealing a single book she had read a long time ago when she was a young girl… _Alice in Wonderland_.

The sheriff called up her father so David could help her drag Will Scarlet down to the station, since he conveniently wasn't conscious from having far too much to drink. Once they arrived, they locked him up inside one of the cells where he could sober up through the night and sleep off his hangover.

Later that evening, inside the Sheriff's station…

 _At last, the young thief finally awoke groggily as he stretched out and groaned, but once he saw his surroundings, he groaned again when he found himself lying on a bed inside a jail cell. Emma, David and Elsa were there as well, while they had begun searching through the record books for any answers behind the mystery of the Snow Queen._

 _So, when Emma heard him groaning and turned to see that he was awake, she approached the bars with the book he had stolen in her hands, while Will glanced towards her without sitting up, then grumbled, "Oh… bloody hell."_

 _Emma almost laughed at his disappointment to see he was locked up and her face first thing in the morning, but instead she stated sarcastically, "Good morning, sunshine. Want to tell me why you broke into the library last night?"_

 _"The what?" he crossly asked her with confusion, then mocked her by pretending not to know what she was talking about. "Oh… that's what that place was? I just thought it was a poorly stocked pub."_

 _"Okay, I get it… every town needs a village idiot, but your little stunt pulled me away from an important investigation and interrupted my night off," she irritatingly replied. "Start talking."_

 _Will remained lying down with his eyes closed as he responded, "The last thing I remember is running away from you, and then I celebrated my escape with a nice bottle of whiskey."_

 _Emma raised the book to show it to him, then she questioned, "Did you celebrate with all your friends… Alice and the white rabbit?"_

 _"This was on you in the library," she continued, as Will immediately sat up upon her mentioning those he had actually known back in Wonderland and stared coldly between the cover of the book, and the ripped out page the sheriff was also holding in her other hand. "This was in your pocket. Mean anything to you?"_

 _"Nope," he lied stubbornly, as he kept his eyes on the image of the Queen of Hearts he refused to tell this sheriff he loved. "Doesn't mean a thing."_

 _The Savior knew he was lying, but decided not to press him on the matter, then brought up the bruises under his right eye while she asked again, "How about your eye? You get a look at whoever gave you that shiner?"_

 _Strangely enough, it was in that moment when Hook walked inside the room and the thief glared towards the pirate who had attacked him, until he answered snidely, "Now… that is an interesting question, isn't it?"_

 _Emma appeared to ignore Will upon hearing someone come up behind her and turned to look at Hook when he approached her, as she asked, "Where were you?"_

 _"Sorry, love," Killian softly replied to her, and she looked at him with concern upon seeing the weariness and worry in his eyes while he did so. "I just got your message. I…"_

 _"It's okay," she said again, and while she wanted to talk to him, she had to finish with the prisoner first, so she asked him to wait for her to be done. "I just need another minute here."_

 _"You were about to tell me who did that to your face," the sheriff then questioned the thief again when she turned back to face him._

 _For a brief moment, Killian was afraid he was about to get caught and would have to explain his actions from the day before to Emma the best he could while he and Will stared at one another coldly, yet Will turned back to Emma again as he lied once more when he responded, "It's a bloody mystery to me. Your guess is as good as mine. Must have been some party… eh?"_

 _When she slowly turned away from him, Will glared back at the pirate like before, as Emma spoke again saying, "Well… if you remember anything, I'll know where to find you."_

 _"You're just gonna keep me in here because I broke into a bloody library?" the thief then called out to her in frustration, once the sheriff walked away from the cell towards Killian._

 _"Because you crashed my date." Emma retorted, then stood in front of Hook and smiled at him. "Which turned out pretty good, despite the rude interruption."_

 _She then looked down to look at his left hand only to find that his hook was back instead and she quickly looked up into his eyes as she asked him worryingly, "What the hell happened to your hand?"_

 _Emma could feel his apprehension coming off of him in waves when he spoke again as he answered tensely, "It appears the Dark One's magic wasn't all I'd hoped it would be."_

 _"Emma… there's something I need to talk to you about," David at last interrupted them shortly after he discovered one mystery he already suspected._

 _"Well, make it fast," his daughter sternly replied, when she and Killian walked over to the desk where David and Elsa were still looking through a number of books in front of them. "I want to go after the Snow Queen before the trail gets… cold."_

 _He simply continued, "The name the Snow Queen's been using in Storybrooke, Sarah Fisher… that name doesn't appear anywhere in the census records."_

 _Emma looked at him in confusion and asked again, "What does that mean?"_

 _"You're right…" David responded in concern. "She didn't come here by any curse._

 _"Then how did she get here?" the Savior asked worryingly. "What the hell does she want with me?"_

For the next little while, Hook stood back and waited quietly without saying a word to anyone, while Emma continued talking with her father and Elsa. They all studied the multitudes of files, records, and books, but nothing stood out. So, at last Emma turned away and upon seeing Killian was still there, she told the others she needed to take a few minutes to talk with him, then she stepped away and pulled him along with her into David's office. She then closed the door behind her so they could have some privacy while they spoke.

She sat down in the chair behind the desk and took both Killian's hand and his hook into her own hands, then looked up at him in concern again while she asked quietly, "Are you feeling alright? You're worried about something. Something that must have kept you awake all night. I can sense something's wrong. Killian… you can tell me anything. I've told you this. Gold's power doesn't just fizzle out. So, what really happened to your hand?"

Killian lowered his eyes and bowed his head to avoid looking into her eyes while he answered deceptively, "I lost my hand… over two hundred years ago. And while I wanted my hand back before, thinking it might make me feel more whole… for you, I realized after our date last night that this hook had become a part of who I am. The bad and the good. It's a part of me and it always will be. That's why I asked him to take back my hand and to give me back my hook. I never thought I'd miss it."

"That explains your uneasiness you felt on our date after the run in with that thief over there," Emma sadly replied when it at last dawned on her why she believed he had acted so strangely towards his hand then, not quite sensing there was more to the truth he was still hiding from her. "But never mind that… Listen, Killian. I don't ever want you to feel like you're any less of a man because you have only one hand. Because you're not. Hand or hook, you're still you. A devilishly handsome pirate whom I care about very much. Do you understand?"

"Aye, love," he responded and raised his head to look into her eyes once more. "I understand. So… is there something I can do for you this evening? To help you, your father, and Elsa in your investigation of the Snow Queen that is. Or anything else for that matter."

Emma smiled up at him until she stood again and leaned in to kiss him, then pulled back as she answered, "I believe there were a few more file boxes down in the storage room here we haven't had the chance to collect yet. If you wouldn't mind…?"

Hook nodded, then stated, "Of course, Swan."

He gently kissed her again before he pulled away, then turned to leave the room so he could do as she asked of him. Emma and Elsa continued with their research for the rest of the day. Unfortunately, their investigation continued to be slow going, but they had no choice if they were ever going to get to the bottom of who the villainess really was. Then, at last they finally found themselves a lead and left the station so they could begin to follow it.


	24. Chapter 24

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Twenty-Four

Unfortunately, over the course of the next few hours, what lead Emma, David, and Elsa had discovered, turned out to be nothing more than a false lead. The only good that came out of the wasted hours aside from the Savior and Regina working together to destroy another snow monster that had this time been conjured up by the Snow Queen in order to distract them, was that Regina had come to find Emma so she could apologize for holding onto her grudge against her, and to let Emma know she had forgiven her.

"I owe you… an apology, Emma," Regina uneasily said to the younger woman she once hated, after the snow beast made of black ice finally ruptured and the magical snowflakes which created it, disintegrated into nothing when the Savior and the former Evil Queen combined their own powers together to destroy it. I never should have treated you like you had wronged me to be vindictive or cruel. I know why you did as you did when you saved the woman we all believed to be Marian. You are the Savior… after all. I was blinded by my pain and fear of losing Robin, which in a way was almost worse than losing Daniel. I was afraid Robin would come to hate me."

"I doubt he'd be capable of hating you, Regina," Emma responded in sincerity. "He knows the kind of woman you used to be, and who you are now. And it's incredible really. That you were able to let go of all that hate for so long, to finally become someone I do consider to be… my friend."

Regina looked at the Savior in surprise, until she questioned, "You really consider me a friend? Even after how I've been treating you the last few days? After all I did to you back when we were fighting each other and hated one another?"

The younger woman nodded and then she answered, "I do. And if my mom was able to forgive you after everything that happened between you two, then I can most certainly forgive you too. It's only fair. Besides… I once had this friend a long time ago who I thought would be my best friend forever. But then she lied to me and when I found out the truth, she had begged me to forgive her, but I never did. I don't ever want us to end up the same way. Will you forgive me?"

"Robin and I are okay again," the former Evil Queen replied, as they began to walk further into the woods towards the direction of town in search for Elsa, who had disappeared on them. "We finally talked. He's hurting, but he and Roland are going to be fine in time. Roland doesn't actually remember Marian was supposedly here because I gave him a forgetting potion so he wouldn't. My point is… we fixed things between us. Robin and I. However, even if we hadn't, I was the one who was still in the wrong. That's why you got an apology from me. Just don't expect me to say it again."

"Not a problem," the Savior responded to her with a laugh. "Now, come on… let's go find Elsa."

In the meantime, Ingrid had lured Elsa away from her friends by creating an illusion of Anna so she could help to make her niece stronger, by helping her to gain control over the fear in her which held her back from her potential. That night, everything was about Elsa. The Snow Queen had bound her wrists in shackles which continued to tighten through magic the deeper that her fear grew, and convinced Elsa she was would never be powerful enough to defeat her or to save her sister.

However, the villainess also knew Elsa was far more powerful and brave than the younger woman believed herself to be, and that all she needed was the proper motivation to bring her strength out of her. Like Ingrid believed she would, Elsa soon conquered her fear by standing up to her before the Snow Queen finally vanished.

Elsewhere…

After he left Emma at the station with Elsa and David to work, Killian rented a sailboat from one of the harbormasters in town so he could take Henry out sailing for the afternoon to keep the teenager distracted from worrying about the Snow Queen and her motives the villainess had for his mother. And Henry was grateful to Killian for helping him, as well as for helping his mother too. Not just for being there to fight by her side against this villainess, but also for helping them all since Hook had brought the heroes to Neverland to help save him.

Later that evening, Killian finished taking care of the boat after Henry had left him to return home so he could do his homework, then he started on his way back to the sheriff's station to see Emma upon learning from David he would find her there. However, before he could reach the station, the Captain ran right into Elsa when she walked out of Granny's after she finished eating, because his head was down and his mind was busy with dreaded thoughts he still couldn't shake, as they only continued to worsen now that he was cornered into an alliance with the Dark One.

The Captain looked at the true Queen of Arendelle apologetically as he spoke softly saying, "Forgive me, love. I should have been watching where I was going."

Elsa shook her head and she answered, "I'm afraid I wasn't paying much attention to my surroundings either. Too much on my mind, I guess."

"I know the feeling," he mumbled, then laid his fingers over the bridge of his nose upon feeling a new headache coming on due to exhaustion.

"Are you alright?" the Queen asked her friend worryingly when he did so, as she could see the pain in his eyes. "You should sit down someplace. Actually… you should go to bed and try to get some sleep. You look terrible, Hook."

Killian nodded weakly, then he lowered his eyes to stare down at his hook again while he replied, "I'll be fine in no time. I just need to see Emma, and then I'll be right as rain. She makes me better."

She noticed the darkness in his eyes over his pain as he stared at the piece of metal, then she finally asked him again out of concern, "May I ask… How have you come to have your hook again, instead of your hand?"

"It's a long story," the pirate responded in frustration, when he took a few moments to collect his thoughts while he moved across the sidewalk and leaned heavily against the wall now behind him as if he were trying to catch his breath. "It's simply that even the Crocodile's power isn't all that it appears to be."

"The Crocodile?" Elsa questioned him in confusion. "Do you mean… Mr. Gold? Why do you call him that? I mean… I noticed the other day inside his shop that the two of you don't exactly get along and that you must have quite the history together, but…"

Without looking at her, he answered darkly before she finished, "Because we've hated one another ever since the day we met. I call him Crocodile, because he's every bit as cruel as one, despite what others here might believe. Believe me… the hand he restored to me wasn't given out of the kindness of his heart. I'm sorry, Elsa… But I really must go. I appreciate your concern for my welfare, love. But I assure you, I'll be fine."

The Queen from Arendelle looked at him again worryingly, then she nodded until she replied, "At least try to get some sleep. Good night, Hook."

"Your Majesty," the pirate Captain responded to her again with a gentle bow of his head before he finally stood tall and continued walking towards the station.

"It's Elsa!" she called back to him after they parted ways.

Hook turned to look back at her as he kept walking backwards and answered, "Aye! Elsa then."

 _Once Killian finally arrived and stood just outside of the station, he took a moment to collect himself again in order to make himself look more composed when he walked in to talk to the woman he loved. Then, as he entered the main room, he found Emma sitting within her father's office and he couldn't help but notice she too looked upset about something, while she pulled out a white box from a locked cabinet beside her desk, just before he tapped his hook against the doorframe to pull her from her thoughts when came over to stand nearby her._

 _When she turned around to face him and looked up, he whispered, "_ _Hello, love. You seem vexed… Like you could use a drink."_

 _"That's putting it lightly," the Savior uttered, and smiled up at him when he reached into his pocket to pull out the newly filled flask of rum before handing over to her._

 _"What's that?" Killian then asked her when he looked down at her box of things she had just pulled out, upon being reminded of her childhood friend from long ago._

 _Emma glanced up at him again as she replied, "What's left of my childhood."_

 _He took the flask back when she handed up to him again, and then for a chance to look inside, Hook gently asked, "May I have the honor?"_

 _"Are you okay?" he questioned, after Emma handed over a smaller box within the larger one to him, so he could go through the things that partly made her who she was, or that held any small about of value to her._

 _"I think so," she quietly responded, then he carefully pulled off its lid to open it and started going through everything inside it, finding her pair of glasses she used to wear, a mood ring, and a picture of her and Neal._

 _Emma also pulled out her baby blanket, then she found an old video camera, as Killian noticed her look of concern and questioned, "Swan?"_

 _She appeared to ignore him momentarily when she walked around him to leave the office again, while Hook followed after her before Emma put the tape into the VCR so she could watch it. Then, she returned to Killian again, and took his hand as she sat down on her old desk beside him so they could watch together while she uneasily answered, "I haven't watched this since I recorded it, but some things happened today. Made me think about the past."_

 _"Reflective today, are we?" the man who loved her lovingly asked, while she laid her head down on his shoulder as she sought his comfort to help her feel better. "Hey. Show me. I'd love to know more about your beginnings."_

 _"Who's that lass?" he then questioned again once Emma started the video, as her younger self appeared onscreen alongside the girl who used to be her closest friend that Regina had reminded her off earlier that evening._

 _The Savior watched on while she replied sadly, "Just an old friend."_

 _Killian wrapped his arm around her to hold her while the video continued when it changed to new footage, and they saw images from one of her foster home that Emma strangely couldn't seem to remember living in for any amount of time, then another child appeared onscreen as he snidely called out, "Hey… look what the new girl brought with her!"_

 _"Where is that?" the pirate questioned once more when he saw the boy on the video begin to mess with her younger self by attempting to steal her video camera as she filmed with it._

 _"I… I don't really remember," Emma responded, and lifted her head away from his shoulder again to be able to focus better on the screen. "Maybe my next foster home?"_

 _He continued, "Blocked it out? Unpleasant time?"_

 _She shrugged as she stated, "I guess."_

 _"Who's that?" he asked again once another child appeared within the video. "Another friend?"_

 _"I don't remember any of this," the Savior then answered, when she began to feel uneasy the more she watched, until all of a sudden she and Killian understood why, as the woman who was now the Snow Queen appeared in the background of the room while she called out to the mean child, "Give it back, Kevin. The camera is Emma's, not yours."_

 _Emma and Hook both stared at the TV in shock and disbelief upon seeing her as the pirate uttered, "Bloody hell. Is that…?"_

She fearfully replied, "The Snow Queen. She was once one of my foster parents. But that's… that's impossible. How could I forget her?"


	25. Chapter 25

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Twenty-Five

When morning arose again, Emma gathered a number of people together inside the station to tell them all what she and Killian had discovered the night before about the Snow Queen having been one of her foster parents, for however long of a gap it had been that she couldn't remember. David was there with Mary Margaret, while Neal was being watched by Granny and Ruby at the diner. Elsa was also there, along with Henry, Regina and Robin, Belle and Gold, and Killian too while he stood back from everyone, though he listened to Emma talking to the others as they observed the video tape from Emma's old camera, and struggled to ignore the Crocodile standing a few feet away from him at all costs.

 _Just when the video was about over, Emma paused the tape and Mary Margaret turned towards her daughter worryingly upon seeing the Snow Queen appear onscreen as she whispered, "_ _Emma… that's you. You must be…"_

 _Emma finished for her saying sternly, "Thirteen. Maybe fourteen."_

 _"Are you missing the part where she's with the Snow Queen?" Regina asked his stepdaughter in frustration, then looked towards the Savior as well. "Emma… you knew her before you came to Storybrooke?"_

 _"Apparently my run in with her in town wasn't the only memory she erased," the Savior answered with concern in her voice. "All this time in this foster home, or whatever that place was… It's gone."_

 _It was then that Belle responded, "Look, I... I just don't understand how she even ended up in this world."_

 _Emma turned her upper body around in her chair so she could look back at Gold as he stood behind her and replied, "We were hoping Gold could tell us that. You spent more time trying to get here than anyone. How the hell did she do it?"_

 _"Considering the time I spent on the same task, I'd love to know," he answered her truthfully, while everyone turned back around to look again at the TV screen._

 _"Does it really matter how she got to Emma?" David responded. "I mean… shouldn't we be more concerned about why?"_

 _Regina continued, "Obviously, she needed her for something. But what?"_

 _She then scoffed before she added snidely, "Well… that's our next problem."_

 _"Well, we know she's hiding somewhere in the north woods," Charming replied as he spoke again. "We combed every inch of her shop. We tore apart her house. She must have cleared everything out days before."_

 _"Which means she must be hiding something," Hook answered him from where he remained behind the others, as he continued to remain in the dark about knowing where the Snow Queen's lair was because she had stolen his memory of having been there nights ago._

 _Emma then questioned, "But where?"_

 _Everyone suddenly turned to look back at Henry while he stood back with Gold, when he suggested, "What about her ice cream truck?"_

 _"Whoa… Snow Queen has an ice cream truck?" his mother asked him, while she and everyone else looked at him with surprise._

 _"I'm a kid," he responded as he shrugged. "I notice these kind of things."_

 _Emma smiled up at her son, then David replied, "Then we split up into groups. We search the town… the woods. Hook, Regina, Emma… you take the west. Gold… you're with me for the east."_

 _However, Gold immediately disagreed with the Prince and objected, "I think we all know I work best alone."_

 _"Well… no time to argue that," the sheriff alongside his daughter answered, while Killian glared over at his enemy as he suspected Gold was up to something. "Belle… how are you at tracking?"_

 _"Uh… actually, I… I think I'll be more helpful at the library," the beauty nervously responded, as she too was keeping something from her friends, though mostly Elsa who was sitting in the chair right in front of where she'd been standing near her husband. "Maybe I can dig something up on the Snow Queen."_

 _Elsa then stood up as she turned around to face Belle and replied, "I'd like to come with you, Belle. If that's okay. Maybe something about my sister will be there too. Unless you'd rather not have the company?"_

 _Despite her qualms about having the Queen of Arendelle join with her, Belle kindly answered her, "No, n… not at all. I would love some."_

"And I'll enlist the help of Little John and the rest of my men to help search the woods for this… ice cream truck as well," Robin responded. "The more of us who search, perhaps the quicker we'll be successful in finding it."

"Just… be careful," Regina worryingly replied to him, as she reached out to take the archer's hand before he leaned in to kiss her.

Robin then said softly, "You know I will."

At last, everyone parted from the station to do like they'd been asked to do, as most of them headed out into the woods to begin their search. Meanwhile, Gold returned to his shop and both Belle and Elsa headed off to the library so they could all do their own research. Little did anyone suspect that the Snow Queen was watching them all through her mirror until they parted ways.

Much to everyone's surprise, it didn't take the heroes long to find the Snow Queen's ice cream truck within the woods no more than a mile away from the merry men's camp, after Ingrid had parked it there herself so that they would. It should have crossed their minds that the villainess wanted them to find it, but because the truck had been covered well with tree branches and fallen leaves, it never did.

And then, what they discovered inside of it surprised them even further. Emma and Killian searched inside of it with Regina, then after the pirate broke the lock on the truck's freezer, they found files filled with paperwork from when Emma had been in school back in the time she couldn't remember, as well as a news clipping from when she had been found as a baby just outside of Storybrooke by Pinocchio, and what appeared to be an ancient scroll written in a language unknown to any of them.

Not too far away, the Snow Queen roamed the woods while the heroes discovered all that she wanted them to, until she sensed she was soon about to be interrupted and immediately hid herself behind one of the taller of the trees nearby. However, she was surprised to find it was the Dark One, when he left the confines of his shop to come and speak with her.

 _When he didn't see the villainess straightaway where he suspected she was hiding from him, Rumplestiltskin at last called out to her, "_ _You can show yourself, dearie. I'm not the one you're hiding from."_

 _"No… you're not," Ingrid then answered him, as she stepped out to face him. "To what do I owe this intrusion?"_

 _"A warning," he haughtily responded, then turned around to look into the face of the woman he had come out to see. "Emma Swan is onto you. She knows your history began long before you came to Storybrooke."_

 _The Snow Queen replied plainly, "I'm aware. Do you really think she would have discovered that if I hadn't wanted her to? It's all part of my plan… A plan you thankfully know little about."_

 _The Dark One curiously stated, "You're being awfully secretive."_

 _"You didn't come to warn me," she continued more coldly, as she began to circle around him. "You came to find out my secrets."_

 _"Or offer up a deal," he sternly answered her again. "Whatever suits you best. But if you decline, I'd be careful."_

 _Ingrid finally stopped circling him and turned to look at him again as she responded snidely, "There it is. There's the warning. You want something out of me? Why don't you just ask for it?"_

 _Mr. Gold replied, "If I wanted something out of you, dearie… believe me, I'd take it."_

 _"But you can't, can you?" the Snow Queen retorted when she glared at him. "Otherwise you would. You and I both know… To get what you want, you need one thing that I have and you're sorely lacking… Leverage. And until you get that… I have a warning for you. Stay out of my way."_

A few hours later back in town, within the library…

Belle and Elsa were still busy searching the books for anything that might help them to learn who this Snow Queen was, or how she might have gotten to Storybrooke, or even to the Land Without Magic where she had watched over Emma while she grew up in the foster care system.

The women's search was slow going and increasingly becoming more and more frustrating, especially for Elsa. And when the Queen of Arendelle at last slammed one of the books she had been looking in closed, Belle knew her worries were more about her sister, than they were of figuring out the Snow Queen's plans.

So, at last the beauty finally confessed to Elsa what she'd been afraid to tell her. That she had met Anna many years ago, and made a mistake that had nearly cost the Princess her life, then got her captured, which is why she feared Elsa couldn't find Anna now. Because she was still being held prisoner by the Snow Queen somewhere in Arendelle.

"Thank you," Elsa at last spoke to her new friend, as she laid her hand over one of Belle's by way of showing her she wasn't angry with her for what happened all those years ago. "For telling me the truth. I know that couldn't have been easy for you and I know now why you've been feeling a little uncomfortable around me. But I understand, and I'm not angry. We heard Anna's heartbeat within Bo Peep's crook. Which means that Anna's alive somewhere. I don't know how, but we'll find her. And thanks to you, Belle… I finally fully believe that and have hope."

"You're welcome," Belle answered her with a smile. "Now… let's keep looking. Surely there's something in here that will give us some answers we seek. There's always something in this library to help us. It's like… magic."

And just like the beauty said, a book at last revealed itself to the women hours later after they continued on with their search while the day passed by. And once they did, they were anxious to find Emma so they could explain to the Savior what they soon discovered within the book's pages.

They left the library and headed to the sheriff's station, after Belle called Emma to ask her where she was so that they could talk with her about what they found. When they walked inside the building, they found the Savior with Killian at her desk closest to the cells, as the two of them had been busy studying the information they had come across that afternoon as well.

 _Once they had begun, as Elsa opened up the book they found to show her the pages revealing the Queen's family tree, Killian and Emma both looked at her in disbelief as the Savior questioned, "The Snow Queen is your aunt?"_

 _Elsa looked at her worryingly as she turned the book around facing her friends so that they could see the pages more clearly, then she responded, "According to this heraldry book I found in the library. Her name is Ingrid. I didn't even know my mother had any sisters. I'm as surprised as you are."_

 _"Well, spend a little more time in this town, love… you'll realize just about everyone's related," Hook sarcastically replied, as he stepped towards the other desk a few feet away to pick up some more of the papers he and Emma had found hidden within the ice cream truck with Regina, then set them down again beside the woman he loved, while she smiled up at him._

 _"This book traces the lineage in Arendelle for generations," the Queen continued, as she brought her friends' attentions to the images showing her mother and the two aunts she had never known, including the Snow Queen they found whose name to be Ingrid, pointing each one of them out as she did so. "That's Gerda, my mother. And this is Helga… my other aunt."_

 _Upon seeing something in the image of Helga, just how much it was she resembled Emma, Hook looked at his love as he reached down to point it out to her and the others as well while he exclaimed, "Bloody hell. Look at this one… She looks just like you. Maybe that's why she was so obsessed with you. Why she kept all those relics from your childhood."_

 _As Elsa then noticed the scroll her friends had found on top of some of the other papers and reached out to open it further so she could read it, Emma looked at Elsa and Belle strangely as she asked, "She came to this world looking for blondes? There's a lot more than just me."_

 _"Don't I know it," Killian smugly teased her and smiled, as she smiled up at him again while he remained standing beside her._

 _"She wasn't looking for a blonde," the Queen of Arendelle answered after she let out a sigh of relief upon discovering one of the truths they've all been seeking since the trouble with the Snow Queen had begun. "She was looking for the Savior."_

 _Emma stared up at her in shock as she uttered, "What?"_

 _Elsa looked between her friends in concern while she immediately continued, "This scroll… The writing is runic. It's a prophecy. It says, 'the name of the Savior is Emma."_

 _"She knew?" the Savior asked in frustration, keeping her eyes on Elsa._

 _She nodded and responded, "Before you even did. She knew you were powerful."_

 _Emma turned her head to look over at Killian in worry and he at her, while she questioned again, "But why?"_

 _"It says it right here…" the Queen replied, while she continued to read the rest of the scroll. "And the Savior shall become Ingrid's sister."_

 _"What the hell does that mean?" the sheriff curtly asked._

 _Elsa looked between them all again as he answered, "Well… my mother died, and her other sister… She's not around anymore. I think Ingrid believes in this prophecy. I think she's looking to replace them."_

Belle at last cut in while she responded, "That would explain why this Snow Queen's been so obsessed with the two of you. Why she's been watching and following you everywhere."

"Well… if this is all true, then the Snow Queen has another thing coming to her," Emma angrily retorted. "It's never going to happen. I don't care who she supposedly might have been to me when I knew her in the time I can't remember. I will never become a sister to her. She's hurt too many people I care about. She's another villain, who has to be stopped. Plain and simple."

"I agree with you, love," Killian nervously replied to her, then reached out to take her hand into his own. "And I'll be right here with you while we continue to fight her."

Emma moved in closer to him as she reached out to caress his cheek and smiled at him sadly, then she whispered, "I know you will. I'm just afraid that so long as you do, something terrible is going to happen to you. To everyone I care about."

Killian then pulled her into his arms to hold her and to comfort her as he answered, "We have fought many a villain, Swan. And yet… we have always defeated them. This Snow Queen no different. Believe in yourself. Because I most certainly do."

"I hope you're right," she worryingly responded again. "Somehow… this all feels different."

"I know," Hook sternly replied, as he understood Emma more than she even knew.

Meanwhile, inside the Snow Queen's lair once more…

Gold returned to have another talk with the Snow Queen, after she had left him standing alone in the woods earlier that afternoon, especially after he had decided to do a little more research on the newest threat to their town. And when he walked inside, he moved to stand in front of her mirror, then carefully began to study its craftsmanship without saying a word to woman sitting once again on her throne.

At last, Ingrid turned her head to look at the Dark One again as she asked coldly, "I thought we had finished our conversation in the woods, Rumplestiltskin. So, what brings you back again? I doubt it was to admire my mirror, that I know you took the time to admire a little the other day too."

He turned away from the mirror to face her again as well and answered, "Actually… it turns out that I've discovered myself a very interesting book since this afternoon. One that speaks of an old King growing more and miserable with each passing day after the death of his beloved daughter, until one day he wished for his subjects to come to feel his pain the same as he did. So… he cast a spell upon his mirror after spending years harnessing dark magic, until he had just enough for this curse he cast over his entire Kingdom, making them all to see the worst in those they loved. Soon, they turned on one another and at last destroyed themselves until they were no more."

"And your point is?" she responded to him in frustration.

"I admire your plan," the Dark One replied. "I should very much like that you succeed in it. If you'll let me, I can even help you just as I offered earlier. Which is why I brought you a gift."

Gold then summoned a wooden box into his hands and opened its lid to reveal three yellow ribbons inside, which he had taken from Ingrid and her two sisters many years ago, as he continued, "Your ribbons back. So you can use them to help you claim your new sisters. You see, I've learned much about you, dearie. As I'm sure you have about me as well. So, if you want them, then you must give me some information in return. Something potentially of equal worth in return."

 _The Snow Queen gasped upon seeing hers and her sisters' ribbons again after all these years, as she sat forward upon her throne before she stood up to walk towards him and then she finally spoke again anxiously saying, "You still need one more thing to cleave yourself from that dagger."_

 _"And how do you know about that?" he darkly asked her, curious how she had come to know of his own plans._

 _"I had that hat longer than you," Ingrid answered him, as she attempted to reach out to touch one of the ribbons until he closed the lid once again. "I learned many things. Among them… the missing piece of your puzzle. Give me my ribbons. And I'll tell you what it is. You see… I've figured out your plan. Storybrooke… is a small town. Too small for someone as powerful as the Dark One to be content."_

 _He retorted snidely, "Well… they did close down that ice cream parlor I was so fond of."_

 _The Snow Queen shook her head and then responded softly, "You want to cleave yourself from the dagger, so you can venture outside Storybrooke without losing your power or your precious Belle. You want, in short… what all villains want."_

 _"And what's that?" Gold questioned her, as he looked deep into her eyes as he sought for any hint of deception within them._

 _"Everything," she eagerly replied, "And I want to give it to you."_

 _The Dark One then asked her again, "What makes you so generous?"_

 _Ingrid answered him coldly, "What you want is out there. And everything that I want is in here. Do what you want with the rest of the world. Storybrooke will be mine. Do you want your answer?"_

 _"You know I do," he responded._

 _"Then we have a deal," she replied in sincerity._

 _Mr. Gold uttered sternly, "You first. Tell me what I require."_

The Snow Queen then leaned in close to him and whispered into his ear while she answered, "All you need… is the heart of someone who knew you, before you ever became the Dark One. I didn't ever fully understand what that meant. But I've been watching over those in this town carefully and I've learned one very important fact. That this pirate in love with Emma… has been your enemy since way back before you became the man standing before me now. And you hate him with every fiber of your being. If you get rid of him for me, Captain Hook will no longer be in the way of my plans for Emma. I've tried, but my efforts have been in vain. He's far too stubborn to know when he's been defeated. Hook… can't remind her of just how powerful and beautiful she truly is. That is my job. Simply… crush his heart. Just in the right moment."

 _"Not only can I do that…" the Dark One cruelly responded with glee. "But I shall do it with great pleasure."_

"I hoped you would," Ingrid replied as she smiled at him, then held out her arms to him so he could give the wooden box over to her. "Thank you."

Once she had hers and her sisters' ribbons securely in her hands, the Snow Queen bowed her head to show him her gratitude more than simply by uttering the words. And without another word, he turned and walked out of the villainess' lair so he could return to his shop to begin to plan how he might go through with stealing Hook's heart. Little did he know that the plan would soon enough present itself to him again, when Killian would come fighting to protect Emma Swan.


	26. Chapter 26

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Twenty-Six

Hours into the early morning, Killian was asleep in his bed inside the room he had been renting at Granny's since he'd traded his ship to Black Beard for a magic bean so that he could find Emma in New York. He had once again walked Emma home after they both left the station upon learning more of the Snow Queen's plans for the Savior and Elsa, then he walked back to the diner alone and was grateful to have actually arrived unlike he seemed to be able to do most nights in the last week. It took him awhile to actually fall asleep as he struggled to push his troubled thoughts from his mind, but thankfully he managed to get a few hours in no matter how restless his sleep was.

Unfortunately, he didn't remain entirely alone for the rest of the night, when a wisp of snowflakes blew through the crack beneath the room's door and flowed inside until they froze in place as the magic began to hover in the air, until the snowflakes suddenly transformed into their true form to reveal the Snow Queen. Once she appeared, Ingrid stood a few feet away from Killian's bed as she stood above him and stared down at his slackened, yet agitated face partially buried by the blankets covering his body to help keep him warm.

Finally, she pulled out the small purple stone she had used to pull his memories of his encounter with his dark reflection in her mirror nights ago inside her lair, and held it out within the palm of her hand as she restored everything she had taken from him so that the pirate Captain would remember all that she needed him to for what came next in her plan.

While she did so, Killian weakly began to struggle against the new memories returning to his mind as though he had become enthralled within a dreaded nightmare. Once the Snow Queen finished her task, she swiftly transformed back into the form of her snowflakes and then flew out as magically as she had come in, just when Killian suddenly awoke out of fear with an alarming gasp, while he looked all around the dark room for any signs of danger upon sensing he hadn't been alone.

After he found no one was there, Hook weakly sat up in his bed, then turned so that he was sitting with his legs dangling over the side and his feet planted firmly on the floor while he rubbed his hand over his face, as he struggled to grasp whether what at first felt like a nightmare was simply a nightmare, or if the images were somehow forgotten memories he was struggling to remember.

Several minutes passed by, before Killian knew without a doubt what he had seen in his sleep were in fact forgotten memories upon thinking back to a few nights earlier, when he couldn't remember the next morning how he had gotten to the harbor and passed out on the bench on the docks, as he knew he had been on his way back to his room.

Killian at last stood from his bed and reached down to pick up his cell phone from the nightstand across from him, then flipped the device open to call Emma. However, when he did so, he glanced towards the alarm clock on the smaller nightstand beside his bed and saw it was not quite five o'clock yet. Unfortunately, the information he suddenly remembered was important and he knew that Emma, as well as her parents and their friends would want to know about it right away.

So, he quickly made the call and apprehensively waited for the woman he loved to answer. Thankfully, upon hearing from him that he had an urgent matter he needed to discuss with her, Emma understood and invited him to come over to their loft as soon as he could get there.

So, Killian quickly pulled on his brace and strapped it in place while he buckled the fastenings securely over his arm and shoulder, then picked up his hook from the nightstand by the clock as well so he could lock it in. Doing so was always a struggle for him to do it one handed, no matter how long he had been doing it for. But it was a struggle he was used to, as used as he was to getting dressed every morning.

Meanwhile…

After the Snow Queen vanished from Granny's upon leaving the pirate's room, she reappeared in the street and then walked further down it to the library so she could enter the clock tower, being sure to leave behind a trail of ice for the heroes to follow once it would be discovered come morning. And when Ingrid arrived as she stood on the inside of the clock facing out at the square, she summoned her mirror from within her lair, then mantled it securely upon the closest wall beside her before she disappeared once again.

A short time later, inside the Charmings' loft…

Emma waited nervously for Killian arrive while she sat at the kitchen table with Elsa and her mother, as David finished making coffee for them all in the kitchen. It was just after five and they were all feeling groggy because of the earliness of the hour, but Emma had woken her parents and their friend once she came down from the loft and started fumbling in the kitchen to start the coffee to help wake herself up, then quickly explained to them why Hook was on his way over. Thankfully, Neal remained asleep in his crib at least over the next hour.

At last, a quiet rap against the door sounded and Emma immediately stood up from the bench at the table to open it, as she found Killian standing on the other side until she invited him in. She couldn't help but notice how he looked just as exhausted as he has been since she had asked him to go out with her despite what little sleep he's actually gotten unbeknownst to her or anyone else. She would have been shocked to find out just how little it was. However, she didn't press him about her concern for him, seeing that he was just as anxious as she was to tell them what he believed they needed to hear right away.

"Forgive me for coming over so early," the Captain said softly, as he looked around the room at Emma and each of his friends.

"It's okay," David assuredly replied to him and walked into the living room to join them as he handed Hook a cup of coffee like he had given one to the others, then took a seat at the table next to his wife. "Emma told us you discovered something pretty urgent you needed to discuss with us right away. She and Elsa told us about what you three and Belle learned last night. Does this have anything to do with why the Snow Queen's after Emma and Elsa?"

Hook shook his head while he answered, "No. I mean… I'm sure it's all connected somehow, but… A couple of mornings ago, I awoke within the harbor after having fallen asleep on a bench along the docks."

He turned and looked over at Emma again as he added, "The morning you came into Granny's to ask me out on our date, Swan."

"I remember the night before, heading towards the diner to return to my room after I kissed Emma goodnight," Killian quietly continued, looking around at the others again while he spoke. "However, I apparently never made it back there. I eventually shrugged it off believing I must have been drinking, or I was simply too exhausted to remember correctly. My point is… I couldn't remember how I came to be on the docks, until my memories came back to me this morning. Not quite everything. I'm still unsure what all really happened that night, but I do remember being inside the Snow Queen's lair."

"What?" Emma uttered and looked at him with disbelief.

Mary Margaret then questioned, "How is that possible? How could you not remember finding this villainess' lair?"

Elsa looked worryingly between her friends as she responded, "In Arendelle, the rock trolls Ingrid spoke of the other day… like I had spoken of last night… They have the ability to erase memories from people's minds. It's how my sister couldn't remember I had magic all her life, and how I don't remember Ingrid being my Aunt. Or all of Arendelle for that matter. It's possible Ingrid might have discovered a way to do so too. And if I'm right, she must have stolen your memory of finding her lair, Hook."

"If that's true, then how do you remember it now?" David asked when he looked over at Killian again. "Why would she want you to remember now? Can you take us there?"

"And did you see anything inside that might help us stop her?" Mary Margaret quickly asked him as well.

When Killian lowered his head uncomfortably to stare down at his hook, Emma saw this and immediately looked between her parents sternly as she retorted, "Guys… can we not bombard Hook with so many questions, please? I'm sure this is hard enough on him as it is without us prodding him."

Mary Margaret looked at him apologetically as she reached out across the table to lay her hand down on top of his, then replied, "Emma's right. I'm so sorry, Killian. I guess we're just tired and a little on edge ourselves."

"It's all right, Your Highness," the pirate Captain assuredly answered her once he looked up again so he could continue. "Like I said, my mind's a bit fuzzy. I remember being inside her lair. I can recall a cave frozen over in pure ice. Only… I can't seem to remember where it was. I remember voices. One voice… crying out for help and I followed it as if I had fallen into a sort of trance. And once inside, I remember a mirror. Finely crafted… its frame just as white as the Snow Queen's magic. A very dangerous mirror with great power."

"What kind of power?" David asked in concern, while he kept his eyes firmly on his friend. "Was it similar to Regina's magic mirror?"

Killian didn't want to reveal too much about what he now remembered seeing and the words spoken to him in hope of avoiding the looks of pity or concern, so instead he simply responded, "As far as I could tell… I remember momentarily seeing the worst in myself. Being reminded of the pirate I used to be. I can't remember much beyond that, but I fear she brought that mirror here with her so it can serve her for some vile purpose. And if I'm right about what it can do…"

Emma reached down to take his hand into her own and grasped it tenderly, then she looked into Killian's eyes while she finished for him, "…then it's possible Ingrid might be able to use it to turn us all against ourselves and possibly against each other, until we're all destroyed."

"I'll enlist as many people as I can to search the woods again for the Snow Queen's lair then," the Prince replied in frustration. "I can't imagine that a cave frozen over would be this difficult to find."

"Well… the woods surrounding our town are much bigger than we even know," Mary Margaret said again. "Especially since we restored Storybrooke for a second time in our curse we cast and brought back so much more with us from the Enchanted Forest this time around. Who knows what all is out there?"

David nodded in agreement, then he pulled out his phone to make some calls, but quickly answered, "Since I doubt any of us are going to get any more sleep, I'd say we ought to start our day early."

Emma looked over at Killian again once her father stepped away from them, as she turned to face him and whispered, "Can we talk a moment? Belle found another book in the library last night that has a spell which could help us to trap the Snow Queen. Me and Elsa are going to practice it, but I was hoping for a chance to talk to you alone first."

"Talk about what, love?" he tensely asked her, as Mary Margaret then turned to take care of Neal in his crib upon hearing him begin to fuss when he awoke. "I promise you… I'm fine. I can barely recall the things said."

"Maybe," the Savior unsurely responded, reading Hook's eyes and seeing that he was still keeping something from her. "Killian… whatever you might have seen in that mirror, it isn't true. Not a word. And you said it yourself. You used to be a pirate and a villain. But you're not anymore. And you haven't been for a long time now. Please… please don't believe this ice witch's dark magic."

Killian gently shook his head and then spoke softly saying, "Of course not. I told you, I can barely remember it. I'm fine. Now… why don't you and Elsa see what you can do here with that spell Belle found? Hopefully by tonight, this will all be over with and the Snow Queen defeated. Soon we can all return to our lives before she ever showed her face. I'll join your father and whoever else in this search for her and her mirror."

Emma looked at him again worryingly as she observed how disheveled and exhausted he appeared, then she replied, "You should head back to Granny's to try to get some more sleep."

"I'll sleep once the Snow Queen's been defeated," the pirate Captain quickly answered and leaned in to kiss her on her cheek, before he finally turned to follow David out once the Prince kissed his wife, then walked towards the door to leave as well.

"Hook cares about you so much, Emma," Elsa then stated as she smiled at her friend once the men were gone. "He shows it in everything he says and does for you."

The Savior looked at her and smiled, then she responded, "It's funny… he said pretty much the same thing to me. Only… he quoted the name of one of my favorite songs without realizing he had. Everything I Do, I Do It For You… by Bryan Adams. He doesn't know such things, and especially nothing about our modern world. He's so adorable when he's completely in the dark by it all."

She then shook her head in order to bring her thoughts back to the task at hand, as she looked over at her mother again and saw Mary Margaret smiling at the things she had just said about Hook, before she walked over to the couch to care for Neal so she could feed him and began to sing softly to him.

 _Emma turned to walk over to the island in the kitchen to pick up the book Belle had given to her the night before after they had talked at the station, from where she had laid it down, then returned to Elsa at the table as she opened the book to the right page to show it to her friend and said sternly, "_ _Belle found something in here… A spell. It may be able to work against the Snow Queen."_

 _"You don't mean kill her?" the Queen of Arendelle questioned Emma worryingly._

 _"No," the Savior assuredly replied. "No one's killing anyone. It's just… Neutralize her powers. Maybe."_

 _Elsa then observed the language of the words written on the pages as she asked Emma again, "Can you read this?"_

 _The younger woman uttered, "Elvish? No, I didn't even see Lord of The Rings."_

 _"Never mind," Emma quickly retorted upon seeing confusion on Elsa's face at her mention of the movie and continued once she pulled the paper the beauty had written out the translation on from her pocket, then laid it down on the table in front of them. "Belle translated it. It tells us how to enact the spell."_

 _"With both hands, hold the candle and then use your magic to light it," the Queen read off of the paper, as she turned to look at the candle which Emma had also placed down on the table between them. "And then when you blow on it…"_

 _The Savior glanced at her friend as she added eagerly, "Then bam… she's right back to selling ice cream. My guess is business will be down."_

 _Elsa sighed and then she answered, "Maybe without her powers we can talk to her. We can find Anna. We can get some real answers."_

 _"Does your sister have magic?" Emma at last asked her, as she had been wanting to ask her for some time._

 _"No… and I think that's why the Snow Queen is so interested in you," the older woman responded, then stood up from the table and backed away from Emma so they could try the spell out in order to make sure it worked._

 _Emma grumbled in agreement, "Yeah."_

 _Elsa then asked Emma in return, "Does anyone in your family have magic?"_

 _"No," she plainly replied with a shake of her head._

 _"It's hard when they look at you differently, isn't it?" the Queen from Arendelle asked her again._

 _The Savior looked at her strangely and shrugged as she answered, "They don't."_

 _Elsa smiled at her sadly, then she responded, "You're lucky. Okay. Should we try this?"_

 _Emma at last picked up the candle in her hands and stood away from Elsa, while Mary Margaret watched them in silence from the living room as she continued to hold her son. Her daughter ignited a flame to light the candle and blew against it, when all of a sudden, a stream of fire spread outward towards Elsa in an attempt to enact the spell meant to conjure special shackles that would imprison their intended target. However, Emma became distracted when she felt a strange spark in her magic she hadn't ever felt before, although she swiftly shrugged it off to be nothing._

 _"I'm sorry," the Queen disappointedly said in frustration. "Should we try again?"_

"Actually… I think I'm going to head out to join Hook and my father," Emma worryingly replied to her, but suddenly heard her phone beep when someone then tried to call her, and she quickly pulled it out to see who it was. "Speaking of my father…"

She quickly answered it as she asked, "Dad? Is everything all right?"

 _While he and Killian stood just outside of the library without heading inside, David responded to his daughter, "Emma… there's something going on at the clock tower. There's a trail going upstairs. A frozen trail."_

 _"The Snow Queen," the Savior uttered sternly, as she looked between Elsa and her mother, while Mary Margaret stood and walked over to stand again with Emma and Elsa. "She still up there?"_

 _"The trail goes up, doesn't come down," the town's second sheriff replied._

 _Emma then answered in frustration, "All right. I'll be right there."_

 _When she hung up, she looked at Elsa again and spoke firmly saying, "The Snow Queen is in the clock tower."_

"Then… let's go stop her once and for all," the Queen of Arendelle replied with confidence, even if she didn't quite feel it.

Emma turned to look at her mother again and nodded, then Mary Margaret quickly wrapped her free arm around her to hug her by way of asking her to be careful. The two younger women then left the loft so they could meet up with David and Killian outside of the clock tower and once they did, they all ran inside, then took the elevator up inside the tower in hope that they would succeed in stopping the villainess.

 _"Hey!" Emma suddenly shouted at the Snow Queen upon seeing her as she climbed the metal stair rail leading up to the clock, until all of a sudden, Ingrid immediately attacked her with one of her icicles when she turned around to face those coming towards her, as her icy magic just barely grazed the upper part of Emma's shoulder and caused her to cry out. "Aah!"_

 _Elsa quickly joined the Savior as she called out, "Emma, now!"_

 _Without hesitation, the Savior ignited another flame atop of the candle and blew like she had done at home, as the flames suddenly surrounded both of Ingrid's wrists before they at last transformed into the shackles like they were meant to do once Emma enacted the spell she thought of clearly within her mind as she worked. The Snow Queen at last had been caught._

 _Elsa immediately wrapped her arms around the Savior to embrace her while she happily exclaimed, "You did it."_

 _"Yeah," Emma mumbled worryingly, feeling strangely surprised she had succeeded so easily. "I guess I did."_

 _"You got me," Ingrid then answered as she looked directly into Emma's eyes, yet she didn't appear to be all that fazed upon being captured._

Nearly an hour later, within the interrogation room at the sheriff's station…

 _Ingrid was sitting at the table while she waited patiently for Emma and anyone else coming in to interrogate her, until the Savior finally did so when she and Elsa both entered the room as Emma stated snidely, "All right, Queenie. Time to talk."_

 _However, still unfazed upon becoming caught, the Snow Queen noticed the small wound in her shoulder from where her ice had struck her and calmly responded, "Ooh… You should get that looked at, Emma."_

 _"Oh, now you want to play nice?" the Savior curtly retorted, as she and Elsa moved around in front of the table to stand in front of her while they continued to talk._

 _"With you two?" Ingrid questioned, looking between both women before her. "Don't you understand? That's all I've ever wanted."_

 _Elsa replied in anger, "We don't care what you want. Where is Anna? She's alive. We know it. We heard her heartbeat."_

 _The Snow Queen questioned in surprise, "You heard her heartbeat?"_

 _"From Bo Peep's Crook," the true Queen of Arendelle added._

 _"Sounds like someone's grasping at straws about their long lost sister," the villainess cruelly answered her._

 _Elsa moved in closer as she leaned forward, then demanded, "What happened to her?"_

 _However, Ingrid continued coldly, "I'm not sure you should care. I told you… She's the one who put you in that urn. I have no idea why you'd want to find someone like that."_

 _"Because she is my sister and she would never do what you say," the younger Queen adamantly responded to her again._

 _"Or she's your sister and she couldn't handle what you… What we… are, and she did exactly as I say," the villainess smugly replied._

 _All of a sudden, Elsa pounded her fists on the table as she glared at the woman across from her and angrily cried out, "No!"_

 _It was then that Emma reached out to touch her shoulder, encouraging her friend to leave the room while she guided her to the door and whispered, "Elsa. Please. Take it easy. She's getting under your skin. Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment. If we want answers, we have to be calm."_

 _"She knows what happened to Anna," the Queen of Arendelle worryingly said once more._

 _"And we're gonna figure it all out," the Savior assured her. "You go help David and Hook try to figure out how to take apart her mirror. I got this."_

 _Elsa attempted to refuse as she uttered, "Emma…"_

 _However, the younger woman firmly continued before she could finish, "I got it."_

 _"Okay," Emma then stated again to the villainess, when she turned back to face her once again after Elsa finally walked away reluctantly to do like her friend had asked of her. "Now it's just me."_

 _"Good," Ingrid answered eagerly. "You're the one I wanted to talk to anyway."_

 _The Savior finally sat down in the chair across from her prisoner and then she continued with her interrogation saying, "Yeah… yeah. I know. You want me to turn to the dark side and be your… sister… buddy… something or other. I'm not interested."_

 _The Snow Queen smiled at her as she then responded, "I'm so proud of you, Emma."_

 _"No… that's not gonna work," Emma grumbled in frustration. "I know that we have a past, which we're gonna get into. But you're not gonna push my buttons."_

 _"I'm being completely sincere," Ingrid replied again in honestly. "Use your superpower… You'll see I'm telling the truth."_

 _The younger woman then looked at her with surprise upon the villainess bringing up her gift, and questioned, "How do you know about that?"_

 _The Snow Queen answered her simply, "You told me. When you were a child. What a lovely child you were. I am so grateful I got to know you then."_

 _"Don't talk to me like we're friends," Emma crossly responded to her._

 _"We're not friends, Emma," the villainess replied. "We're family."_

 _The Savior looked at Ingrid while she insistently continued, "I know that's what you want, but whatever past we had… the past you stole from me… I know enough to tell you about the future. And what you want? It ain't gonna happen, sister."_

 _However, Ingrid more adamantly answered her, "Oh, but it will. You see… at the end of the day, you'll understand that everything that I've been saying is true. And then you'll do the last thing in the world you'd think possible right now."_

 _"Yeah?" the younger woman asked her in disbelief. "What's that?"_

 _"You're going to let me go," the Snow Queen responded to her with assurance in her words. "Now then… What would you like to talk about?"_

After a little while longer, Ingrid had gone on to explain to Emma all about her plans she had for everyone else in Storybrooke except for her and Elsa. She spoke to her about the curse she planned to enact using her mirror, which she failed to enclose was actually still safe within her lair, or that the one her father, Hook, and Elsa were currently examining while they spoke was a fake. The Snow Queen even told her what all she had done to her pirate, except for Gold's involvement, which infuriated the Savior and yet Emma fought to keep her fear for Killian, as well as her anger in check while she continued on with the interrogation.

 _Emma finally stepped out of the room for a few minutes to try to shake off her frustrations, then walked back inside the room again a short time later with a glass of water in her hands for the villainess, set it down in front of her, then remained standing while she at last continued, "So… the Spell of Shattered Sight. Pretty impressive stuff."_

 _The villainess looked up at her again as she asked coolly, "What does it matter? You stopped me."_

 _"That's right," the Savior confidently replied to her again like she had before. "I did. We know who you are. We know what you're planning. And we know that for some sick, twisted reason, you want Elsa and me to replace your long lost sisters."_

 _"Well then… you have all your answers," Ingrid snidely retorted. "May I retire to my cell now?"_

 _Emma leaned over the table as she frustratingly uttered, "No. I want to know why. Why have you been tracking me my whole life?"_

 _The Snow Queen looked into her eyes while she answered strongly, "I was trying to protect you, Emma."_

 _"Is that what you were doing in the foster home?" the younger woman curtly asked her again. "Protecting me? So why did you erase my memories? Because they were just too good?"_

 _"Every family has their ups and downs," Ingrid responded._

 _Emma could feel herself losing control of her anger slowly, more than she even understood at that moment, yet she kept at it as she replied brusquely, "You see… no. You and I… We are not family. I have one of those, and it spans three generations and four hundred years."_

 _The villainess darkly retorted again, "Family isn't about blood. It is a bond far stronger than mere genetics. Elsa and I are your real family because we are the only ones like you. We belong together. The family that you think you have… They may love you, but they also fear you."_

"Just like your handsome pirate… fears you too, Emma," Ingrid cruelly added to try to hurt Emma more so she would at last push the right button needed to set her off. "Hook is just too blinded by what he thinks is love to allow himself to see the truth. They all are. Your boy too. They are all afraid of you, Emma. Believe me… I know better than you think I do."

 _"No," the Savior curtly stated again as she stood up straight once more. "They don't."_

 _The Snow Queen then answered Emma heartlessly to hurt her, "You've never seen them wince at your power? You've never seen a twinge of panic just behind their eyes? Not even once? I find that hard to believe."_

 _Emma glared at her as she responded adamantly, "They love me for who I am, including my powers."_

 _"I thought that once too, Emma," the older woman sadly replied._

Meanwhile, inside the clock tower…

David and Elsa both continued to closely examine the mirror the Snow Queen had mantled to the wall now in front of them, while Hook stood back and as far away from it as he could without leaving his friends to do so alone. Being so close to the looking glass imbued with such dark magic frightened him, even shook him to his core upon remembering the words spoken to him through it, as well as the darkness within his reflection's eyes while he taunted him. Even though he still couldn't remember much of anything else like he had told the others.

"Hook… are you alright?" the Prince suddenly asked him in concern, as he turned towards him and saw the pirate's discomfort while he remained further back.

Killian looked at him and lied saying, "I'm fine, mate."

The Captain looked into the mirror again and stared darkly into his own true reflection while he continued vexingly, "I just… I don't understand why… why it doesn't appear to be working. All I had to do was go near it, and I suddenly saw the worst in myself. I felt like I was going to go mad, or even tear… myself apart."

"Hey… are you with us?" Killian finally heard David asking him in concern once more when the Prince then moved to stand directly in front of him, between him and his line of sight with the mirror. "Why don't you head back down into the library? Or outside to get yourself some fresh air. You look like you could use it."

 _"I've found nothing to counteract the spell yet," Belle then called out to them before Killian could turn to leave, as she climbed up the stair rail behind them while she stared down at the pages within the book she was holding in her hands as she did do._

 _However, once she slammed it closed and lifted her head too look between her friends who were all looking into the mirror again aside from Killian, she urgently rushed forward to grab both David and Elsa to pull them back as she cried worryingly, "Hey, stop! Do not look in that thing. It'll make you see the worst in yourself."_

David looked at her and back at the mirror again, then shrugged as he answered, "We've all been looking into this magic mirror for some time now and so far it's done absolutely nothing to hurt us. Hook is struggling a little, but…"

"This mirror is nothing more than a fake," Killian suddenly interrupted them, then apprehensively approached the looking glass so he could also get a better look at its craftsmanship. "It's a perfect replica for sure, but believe me… I know a fake when I see one and my fear to look upon this bloody mirror is nothing more than my fear manifesting itself again from the night I can scarcely remember."

 _"Why would the Snow Queen risk coming all the way out here just to plant a fake mirror?" Elsa asked in confusion, as she turned to look back between her friends._

 _Then, when it dawned on David and Hook both at the same time why the villainess had done so, they turned their heads to look at one another in worry as David responded, "Because she wanted to get caught."_

Without hesitating, Killian immediately took off down the stairs as fast as he could, while David, then Belle and Elsa too, followed after him just as quickly so they could get back to Emma at the station upon worrying that she was in danger. They just no idea how right they were.

Unfortunately when they arrived, their fears were confirmed when they discovered that the doors to get into the station were completely frozen over by the Snow Queen's magic so that they couldn't break in to help the Savior, no matter how hard they tried to. David attempted to call out to his daughter, as did Killian, but wherever she was in that moment, she couldn't hear them. Quite possibly because the ice magic was far too thick for even sound to break through.

Belle reached out to lay her hand over Killian's arm to stop him from trying to chip away at the ice with his hook as she said firmly, "We need to go talk to Rumple. If anyone can break Emma out of there… it's him."

Back inside the interrogation room once more…

 _"It's understandable you feel upset," the Snow Queen continued to taunt the Savior._

 _"Now you think you know how I feel?" Emma questioned her in frustration, as she slowly began to pace back and forth in front of the villainess._

 _Ingrid quietly replied, "I know you better than you know yourself, Emma."_

 _The younger woman glared at her again as she answered curtly, "Yeah, because you took… What...? A year from my life?"_

 _"When you lived with me, you talked about your parents all the time," the villainess gently responded. "You were so angry with them for giving you up."_

 _"They had a good reason for that," the Savior replied to her again. "I know that now."_

 _The Snow Queen kept her eyes on Emma while she continued to pace and answered, "It doesn't change the fact that you felt unwanted for twenty-eight years."_

 _Emma responded curtly, "They didn't have a choice."_

 _"There is always a choice, Emma," Ingrid said sternly. "They could have kept you. They could have figured out something else. They could have tried."_

 _"They did what they could to save an entire Kingdom," the Savior angrily retorted._

 _However, the villainess kept goading her cruelly saying again, "You were their only child. And they used you to break a curse. They're still using your powers."_

 _At last, Emma once again began to feel the same strange spark she felt earlier that morning at the loft when she became distracted upon sensing her powers surge within her, yet struggled to ignore it while she whispered, "That's not true."_

 _"Isn't it?" Ingrid taunted. "How many times have you saved them? How often have you felt more like a 'Savior' than their daughter? And all it takes is one tiny mistake… one accident… and you and your powers go from being their salvation to their worst nightmare."_

 _"You don't know them or me," the Savior darkly replied, as she turned her head to look at the older woman once more._

 _The Snow Queen more firmly answered her, "I don't have to know you, Emma. I've been you. Different… misunderstood… alone. And now they've chosen to have a new child. And don't you think that they thank their lucky stars every day that he was born normal?"_

 _At last, Emma began to seethe in anger while she glared at the villainess because of her cruel taunts, and the water within the glass she had handed to Ingrid minutes ago began to boil as she darkly responded, "They love me."_

 _"You can't love somebody you don't understand," Ingrid furiously replied. "And do you know what happens when people don't understand something? They learn to fear it. And then they look at it like a monster!"_

 _"Shut up!" Emma wrathfully shouted, just as another wave of intense power surged inside of her and suddenly burst from within her outwards, causing her to blast a large hole in the wall before them like she was a stick of dynamite._

 _She then stared at what she had just done, as well as at her hands that were now glowing uncontrollably in shock while she stuttered fearfully, "W… what did you do to me?"_

 _The Snow Queen excitedly smiled while she looked at Emma again and swiftly freed herself without any struggle at all, as Emma realized she could have escaped at any time, then she answered, "Ah… All I did is show you who you really are."_

 _"M… make it stop," the Savior fearfully stuttered again, continuing to stare down at her hands out of shock._

 _"I can't," the villainess responded. "It's you, Emma. And… It's beautiful."_

 _And with those final words to her, the Snow Queen raised her hand above her head and swiftly vanished within her snowy magic while the wind howled all around them, until she was simply gone, leaving Emma all alone as she struggled to regain control over her magic fighting to burst out of her._

 _Emma then climbed out of the station through the rubble she created still deep in shock and turned around to stare back at her mess until she uttered fearfully, "What have I done?"_

 _All of a sudden, her parents, Killian, Henry, Belle, Gold, Ruby, and Elsa, all came running towards her in worry upon seeing the aftermath of what they thought to be an explosion as David cried out to her in concern, "Emma! You alright?"_

 _Mary Margaret came running up behind her husband while she continued, "We were so worried."_

 _"Wait!" their daughter cried out to them in an effort to keep those she loved and cared about to stay back from her._

 _"Seems you didn't need my help after all," the Dark One said sternly, as he examined the Savior's work in wonder once he and Belle were the last ones to walk up on them._

 _Killian worryingly looked at the woman he loved, as he was the first to approach her and asked, "Swan… what did that monster do to the sheriff's station?"_

 _Emma began to look at those in front of her while she couldn't help but question whether or not the Snow Queen had been right about them fearing her, as she retorted, "The 'monster' who did this was not the Snow Queen. It was me."_

 _"What?" her father questioned out of disbelief._

 _"Just keep your distance," the Savior fearfully called out to them, as both Killian and David attempted to come closer. "I don't know if I can control myself. I don't want to hurt anyone."_

 _"Swan…" Killian tried to plead with her and attempted to reach out to grab the woman he loved to keep her from running away from him once she had begun to, while Mr. Gold advised them to listen to Emma's warning._

 _Elsa called out as well, "Emma… we can help."_

 _However, Emma didn't listen to anyone when she shouted again, "Just stay away! Let me go!"_

 _And in the moment she felt Killian's hand on her arm, she swiftly spun around to rip herself away from him, then upon losing control of her powers like before, Emma unleashed them by accident once more against them, as her magic suddenly exploded again from her hands, causing all the lights along the outside of the station and the street light to spark, until the street light began to fall just above Hook._

 _"Watch out!" she screamed, just as David swiftly ran forward to push Hook out from under the falling light when his concern was more focused on Emma, while the light then collapsed down on the Prince instead despite his effort to get out of the way in time._

 _"David!" Mary Margaret cried out to her husband once he had become hurt, as she rushed over to him to make sure he was okay and to help him stand again while both Killian and Emma stared down at them in shock by what had just occurred, though their daughter started towards them to try to help as well._

 _However, she was immediately startled and froze when her mother then looked up at her with malice in her eyes as she sorrowfully howled, "Emma!"_

 _Yet as soon as she had done so, Mary Margaret instantly regretted it upon seeing the shock within her daughter's eyes, then pleaded, "Emma… Emma… wait. Please come back."_

Not being afraid of her like the others, Killian rushed forward to grab hold of the woman he loved so he could comfort her and to stop her from running away from him. However, being unable to stop it, her power burst out from within her and suddenly thrust Killian back through the air, until he crashed hard into the windshield of a parked car nearby. Emma fearfully cried out his name, then immediately continued to run to her car so she could disappear before anyone else she loved could be hurt.


	27. Chapter 27

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Meanwhile, inside Regina's home on Mifflin Street…

Robin Hood came over around eight o'clock that morning for a late breakfast with Roland, so Regina could make them a warm home cooked meal that was much too large for just the three of them. Waffles with syrup, scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon, sausage, orange juice, and sourdough toast. She wanted everything to be just right especially now that she and Robin were back together and their lives appeared to be as they were before Zelena tried to split them apart by pretending to be Marian.

Henry would have been happy to help them eat the feast as well, but he left early so he could talk with his grandfather about getting a job at his shop. Not so much because he wanted a job, but because he hoped he could use the opportunity as a way to look for information about the Author of the storybook. His adopted mother and Robin were together again, but in hope of making sure that nothing could come between them again, Operation Mongoose was still on.

So, Regina, Robin, and Roland ate breakfast together like nothing had changed. At least as far as the young boy sitting in between his father and the woman he had come to see like a second mother to him was concerned. With permission from the archer she loved, the Mayor slipped the forgetting potion she made up into Roland's juice so he wouldn't be aware he had ever drank it, allowing for him to forget any memory of his mother ever coming back for a time so he wouldn't continue to be sad from losing her all over again. Robin thanked her, then some time later once they finished eating, Roland ran off somewhere in the large house to play, while Robin helped Regina to clean the dishes as they talked. And they continued to talk or just sit silently in each other's arms in the living room, for quite awhile until it had gotten late into the afternoon.

The archer at last broke the silence that had fallen over them, as he stated, "So, you said that Henry's decided to ask Gold for a job so he can try to find information to help us with Operation Mongoose? Are you sure that moving forward with it is necessary? I mean… we are still together. Or… together again."

Regina nodded while she responded, "Yes. But Henry's still worried something might try to split us up again. And the truth is… so am I. I am the Evil Queen after all, and villains aren't supposed to have happy endings. Our stories are all written that way."

"You were the Evil Queen, Regina," Robin assured her, as he laid his hand down on one of her own, then turned so he could look into her eyes. "But you're not now. Remember? And besides… Hook used to be a villain as well, and yet he and Emma are quite happy. And so aren't Belle and Gold… surprisingly. She deserves all the happiness in the world. I'm not so sure about him."

"Well, he has supposedly changed for the better thanks to Belle," she replied to him again. "Even Hook admitted to Emma that he has. I have my doubts. And I know Hook well enough to know he doesn't really believe Gold's changed. Which is why I can't believe I gave Henry permission to ask that man for a job at his shop. What was I thinking?"

Robin reached up to touch her face and caressed her cheek while they looked into one another's eyes, then he whispered, "You were thinking about wanting to truly be happy. And there's nothing wrong with that, Regina. You deserve all the happiness in the world. And I'm lucky to be the man who can help to give it to you."

Regina smiled at him and then leaned in to kiss him, until Roland interrupted them when he rushed over to stand in front of them, as he asked adorably, "Regina… can we go get some ice cream later today at the ice cream parlor? The ice cream lady said she was going to be getting a new flavor for us to try."

The Mayor glanced over at Robin nervously, then she looked down at the young boy again and she answered gently, "I wish we could, sweetheart. I would love going to get ice cream with you and your father. But I'm afraid that the ice cream parlor is no longer open."

"It's not?" he questioned her in confusion.

"I'm afraid it closed," she glumly continued. "At least until we can try to find someone new to open it back up. I promise… I will look into finding someone who might want to take over for the ice cream lady. In the meantime, we can all still go get some ice cream at Granny's… if it's okay with your father that is."

Robin smiled and then he responded, "I think ice cream at Granny's is a great idea. After we have dinner tonight that is. A root beer float I believe it's called, sounds wonderful."

Regina laughed when Roland smiled up at her, but before they could talk anymore about ice cream or going to Granny's later for lunch, Henry walked in looking worried and sad, and when his mother saw so, she stood up from the couch to walk over to him as she asked with concern, "Henry… what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," the teenager worryingly replied. "But Mom's not. Emma… she's somehow lost control of her powers. They're going crazy. The Snow Queen did something to her while Mom was interrogating her in the station."

"Interrogating her?" Robin questioned in confusion. "When did they arrest the Snow Queen in the first place?"

The Mayor continued to look at her son as she asked him again, "What did the Snow Queen do, Henry?"

He looked between her and Robin as he shrugged, then answered, "We don't know. Mom was talking to her all alone. Grandpa and Hook were busy somewhere else. Everyone else was too. But then somehow Mom's power went crazy, and she blew a huge hole in the side of the station before the Snow Queen escaped. And because she got scared at what she's done, Mom ran. She just ran. She thinks she's going to hurt us."

"The others must be out now trying to find her," Regina then said out of worry, as she turned to look again between Robin and Roland. "I need to go help the others try to find Emma."

"I'm so sorry I can't join you and your father today for ice cream, Roland," she added sadly when she knelt down in front of him. "But we will again soon. I promise."

Roland nodded, then the Mayor stood up again as she looked back at Robin and whispered, "I'll let you know if we'll need your help."

The archer kissed her and then he stated, "Be careful."

Regina smiled, then she and Henry left their house so they could head out to join the rest of the heroes in trying to find their Savior, wherever she might have run off to. Robin stayed at his love's home with his son where Roland could stay warm, rather than forcing the boy to stay outside in the woods, especially the colder the weather became. And the archer was grateful to Regina for giving his son a warm place to sleep.


	28. Chapter 28

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Back in town…

Both Mary Margaret and David wanted to take off after Emma right away once she ran and drove away from them in her yellow bug. However, knowing that Hook needed their help more in that moment, despite the pain the Prince was still feeling from being struck by the light pole, he and his wife immediately rushed towards the car the Captain had crashed into to make sure he was alright. Ruby and Elsa also followed right behind them, as did Henry, while Belle remained by her own husband's side and watched the others tend to the wounded man.

"Hook!" David cried worryingly, in trying to bring his friend back around to awareness while he, Mary Margaret, and Ruby carefully helped to pull him down from on top of the car's hood after he had remained embedded within the newly broken windshield, as Killian was now bleeding out from numerous cuts and gashes which varied in severity among his face, head, neck and most likely other places along his body they couldn't see straightaway. "Hey… try to hold still. You're hurt pretty bad."

"Emma…" he weakly whispered, as he struggled to stand against his friends' efforts to hold him still while they cared for him. "We have… She didn't mean to hurt… to hurt me. To hurt you. The Snow Queen… she did this. We have… to find Emma. She has to…"

David finally turned Killian's face until he was looking at him and then answered assuredly, "I promise you… we will find her. You're right. Emma didn't mean to do this. The Snow Queen got inside her head and did something to cause Emma's powers to grow out of control. But right now, you're hurt. We need to get you to the hospital, so Dr. Whale can check you out. Unless…"

The Prince turned to look behind him at Gold, then he continued, "…you'd like Gold to heal you. Gold, can you…?"

"No!" Killian adamantly shouted out to his friend, not wanting the Dark One to go anywhere near him after all he'd done to hurt him already, even though his sudden anger, if not even fear towards Gold surprised those still looking down on him in worry, while Gold cruelly smiled at Killian until Belle glanced towards him, and he immediately hid his delight over his enemy's discomfort from her and the others. "No… if you insist that I have someone see to whatever injuries I might have sustained, then I will go to see the doctor at the hospital. But I assure you, I'm fine."

"We'll let Dr. Whale determine whether or not that's true," Mary Margaret worryingly replied, as Ruby began to take on more of Killian's weight once he stumbled a little after they had all worked to help him back onto his feet, as she carefully pulled his right arm around her shoulders, then Elsa stepped over onto his other side to pull his other arm around her shoulders as well.

Red then looked between Mary Margaret and David strictly saying, "Elsa and I will make sure he sees Whale. You guys go find Emma."

David nodded and then he responded, "We will. Try not to worry about her, Hook. She's going to be fine. We'll make sure of it. And when we do find her, we'll let her know that you're okay."

Killian nodded, then reluctantly allowed the two women on either side of him to guide him forward towards the hospital, while David and Mary Margaret walked to David's truck so they could begin their search for their daughter. Henry planned to join them shortly, but first he headed straight home to talk to his adopted mother and Robin so he could let them know what happened and ask for them to join in the search.

Gold on the other hand, turned to Belle and encouraged her to return home for the rest of the evening where he'd know she would remain safe. But when he started to head back towards his shop, the beauty pulled on his arm and pleaded with him to come home with her for the rest of the evening. So, he complied with his wife in order to help put her mind at ease, closing the pawnshop early for the evening.

At the hospital…

A short time later, Killian was sitting uncomfortably on top of one of the observation tables, while the town's head doctor carefully examined his injuries once he helped the Captain to remove his leather jack, vest, and button up shirt so that he could. Both Ruby and Elsa were kind enough to leave the room for that, then they returned to the room as Whale worked, if just to make sure Hook didn't stubbornly try to run off without being cared for. But mostly because they worried about their friend and wanted to be there for his support.

"So… how exactly did these injuries happen then?" Dr. Whale questioned his patient without looking up from the wound in Killian's lower back, while he was busy stitching it up after he had removed a piece of glass from inside it.

"The Snow Queen… I foolishly got in the way and I was forced back into someone's metal vessel," Killian quickly answered him before either of the women could say anything about Emma having been the one to hurt him. "She's the one responsible for my injuries."

Whale finally looked up at him when Killian flinched and suddenly groaned in pain from his ministrations, so he paused a moment and nodded, then he continued working a few seconds later as he replied, "I thought as much. And that metal vessel as you call it… it's called a car."

The two hundred year old pirate glared ahead of him as he responded, "I don't really bloody care what those vessels are called. Please… are you about finished, doctor? I have to get back out there to help Emma and our friends."

"Well… I'm just about…" the man whose true identity was Victor Frankenstein from the Land Without Color began, until he swiftly cut the last of the thread he used to close up the wound away from the needle, then stood up and moved around his patient so he could look between Hook and the women while he continued to talk. "…finished. You're very lucky that was the only injury which really needed to be stitched up. You have others that could also use my efforts too, but seeing as you're in a pretty big hurry… Just try not to do anything too strenuous, or you'll break open the stitches and make the rest even worse. For now, I've cleaned out the other injuries so they shouldn't become infected, removed all the glass in your body I could find, and I've patched you up the best I could. I'd recommend you stay, but…"

"You know I can't do that," Killian sternly answered before the doctor could finish, as he then began to pull back on his clothes he had discarded earlier so the doctor could work. "Thank you, Dr. Whale."

Whale nodded and turned to leave the room while Killian finished getting redressed, then Ruby looked at the Captain in concern as she asked, "Are you sure you're really up to going out to join everyone in their search?"

Killian looked at her sadly and then he replied, "I have to be. You would fight against any pain you might feel were it your grandmother out there, or anyone else you loved too. Both of you would."

"He's right," Elsa quietly responded as she looked between her friends. "If it was Anna or Kristoff, I absolutely would."

"I know," Red also answered him in agreement. "I would fight for Granny no matter what kind of injuries I might have incurred too. All right… but you're not going out there on your own. We're coming too. I can hopefully help you to find Emma faster anyways because of my keen sense of smell."

The Queen of Arendelle nodded as she replied, "And in case Ingrid makes another appearance, my powers might be of use. Even if they haven't really been of much help to any of us just yet. It was good of you to protect Emma just now. To Whale."

Killian smiled sadly at them in gratitude, then he responded, "Emma doesn't deserve to have one more person be afraid of her. She's done nothing wrong."

Later after night had fallen, somewhere within the middle of the woods…

Emma sat alone inside her car while she continued to hide away from all those who loved her, afraid of what she had done and of losing control again enough to hurt anyone else. She thought back to knocking the light post down into her father when he had pushed Hook out of the way to protect him. But more so, she thought of Killian and how she had unintentionally forced him back into the windshield of the car he landed against as tears fell down her cheeks, all because he was trying to comfort her.

While there was a part of her that knew her mother's sudden fear of her when Mary Margaret had shouted her name in contempt after David had been hurt because of her, and the fear she saw on everyone else's faces had no bearing on how much they loved her, it killed her knowing that the things the Snow Queen had said to her inside the station before everything went to hell was all true.

However, she had also seen the look on Killian's face too and it wasn't one of fear directed towards her while he looked into her eyes. It was fear she had seen for her. He was afraid for her, not of her. But she had hurt him, when all he wanted was try to help her and to try to keep her safe with him. She could only hope he was alright. And then finally, Emma decided then and there that she had to do something to keep herself from hurting anyone else again. She knew she needed to speak with Gold.

However, it was late and she knew everyone would be looking for her in town if she returned, especially driving her yellow bug. And because it was late, they wouldn't be able to continue searching the woods, so the woods was where she decided she would stay put for the night. Emma then struggled to make herself more comfortable as she turned her head and looked down in the passenger's seat beside her, where a large bouquet of flowers she had quickly grabbed from Moe's flower shop before she fled into the woods laid beside her.

For her, they smelled wonderful. Just like they would smell for most people who loved flowers. But their smell wasn't why she had gotten them. At least not for her own comfort. The Savior got them because she also knew that her family or friends would enlist Ruby to help them to find her, and that the flowers would help to mask her scent so the girl who was part wolf wouldn't be able to track her down. At last, Emma finally closed her eyes and struggled to fall asleep despite her continued efforts to try to keep her powers under control.


	29. Chapter 29

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Later that night back in the Charmings' loft…

After a few hours, Mary Margaret had to leave the search for her daughter earlier than the rest of her loved ones and friends had, so she could pick up Neal and bring him home to put him to bed for the night. David, Killian, Ruby, Elsa, Regina, Henry, as well as Grumpy and a couple of the other dwarfs continued on, until it was just too dark and dangerous to keep looking for Emma throughout the vast forest surrounding their town. Especially with the Snow Queen still at large.

 _As soon as they walked in, Mary Margaret had just finished laying her son in his crib once he had fallen asleep, then before anyone else could say anything, the Princess walked towards them while she questioned worryingly, "Did you find her?"_

 _David walked towards his wife as well and laid his leather jacket down on the island within the kitchen while he regrettably replied, "No. We looked everywhere, which means only one thing."_

 _"She doesn't want to be found," Hook despondently continued while he lowered his head to stare down in front of him, as David and the others all turned to look at him._

 _"I've been through this," Elsa then responded in concern for her friend. "And I saw the same looks on my loved ones' faces as Emma just did. I saw fear."_

Mary Margaret thought for a moment, then she quickly looked over at Ruby while she asked, "What about you tracking her? You've always been able to find anyone."

Little Red Riding Hood shook her head sadly as she answered, "Believe me… I tried using my sense of smell and keen sense of hearing to find her. I caught Emma's scent a few times, but then a smell of flowers interfered and I kept losing it again. Emma was smart enough to know you would ask me to help you look for her, and smart enough to remember that flowers effect my ability to track. Like they did back when I tried searching for Belle for Gold a couple of years ago and became effected by the flowers from Moe's shop."

"Well… what about your magic, Regina?" Snow White then questioned her stepmother when she turned her head to look at her as well. "I know you tried, but…"

"Emma's magic may be on the fritz right now, but she's somehow found just enough to be able to block herself from me so not even I can find her," the Mayor sternly replied to her, as she sat down at the table, and so did Henry beside her. "At least not yet. I can go down to my vault to whip up a locator's spell so we can find her that way, but… It's going to take me some time."

While Mary Margaret was eager to find her daughter, as was David, the Prince looked over at their friend again and shook his head, then responded, "No. I mean… we can worry about that tomorrow. It's late. You and Henry should both go home for the night and try to get some sleep. Of course we want to find our daughter, but it's too dark and too cold out there to keep searching for the night. I'm sure that Emma will be alright on her own for one night. She can take care of herself no matter what's going on with her magic. She always has."

 _His wife let out a sad sigh and then she said quietly, "David… we failed today. When our daughter needed us most, she looked in our eyes, and… All she saw was fear. This Snow Queen has some mirror that turns us against each other? Well… she doesn't need it. Look at us. We are doing it to ourselves."_

"Just like she wanted," Killian crossly answered her, as he worried about Emma being out in the cold and all alone, believing everyone was afraid her. "David's right. You all ought to stay home and warm where its safe. However, I've spent many nights out in the cold and in the dark. I spent two hundred years in Neverland after all. I'm going back out there to keep looking for her."

"Hook… it's too dangerous to go off on your own right now," David reluctantly replied as he turned to face the pirate Captain out of concern. "We know that you're worried about Emma. We all are and you know that. But you already became the Snow Queen's target once when she lured you to her lair and used the magic of her mirror on you. Do you really think that Emma would appreciate it if anything more were to happen to you because you stubbornly kept trying to find her, when you know as well as we do that doing so tonight isn't possible?"

At last, Killian sighed in frustration upon giving into them, and then he responded in reluctance, "Aye. You're right, mate. As much as I hate to admit it… you are. Fine. I guess it's back to Granny's then."

While Regina stood up to leave along with Henry, as did Ruby, Mary Margaret kept her eyes on Killian as she shook her head and answered, "No… No, we'd like you stay here for the night. I doubt David and I will be doing much sleeping tonight. We were going to talk with Elsa for awhile anyways. Please… you don't have to be alone right now. Besides, you're bleeding out again. You have blood seeping out from the bandages over the lacerations in your neck, and you're probably bleeding out worse from the wound you received in your lower back too. Let us take care of you. It's what Emma would want."

"You know… it's not really fair to keep using her against me to make me do as you wish," the Captain firmly replied, then smiled again at the Princess. "But if you insist, love. I am grateful."

Mary Margaret smiled as well, then she and David both said good night to their friends and grandson so they could leave. Once they were gone, Emma's mother ushered Killian over to the couch and urged him to sit down as David walked into the kitchen to find the first aid kit so they could fix him up again, while Elsa came over to sit in the chair across from her friends so they could talk more quietly. In the meantime, Neal continued to sleep soundly in his crib.

Charming and Snow White had barely begun to work just after Killian once again removed his clothes covering his upper body so they could minister to his injuries, when all of a sudden, the pirate's phone rang. He almost ignored it, not much in the mood to talk with anyone else. However, after the third ring, he finally pulled his phone from his pocket and looked at the screen, surprised to see Emma's name appear.

"Emma?" he stated in worry once he swiftly answered her call. "Emma, please… tell me where you are."

However, Emma's voice came through the speaker in a whisper while she responded with relief, "You… you're okay. I just… I had to know you were okay."

Killian looked between his friends, while they all looked at him with concern as he talked with her, then he answered, "I'm fine, love. What happened earlier… it wasn't your fault. And no one here is afraid of you. Least of all me. You have to know that. Please… please come home."

"I can't do that," she sadly replied. "Not yet. I just had to hear your voice. So I could make sure I didn't hurt… I just needed to know. I'm so sorry, Killian. Sorry that I hurt you, and that I can't come back. Not until I find a way to fix this. To make it so no one will have to be afraid of me again. I know you weren't, but my parents were. Especially my mother. I saw the look in her eyes. I have to make this right. And I will. Please… let my parents know I'm sorry and take care of them for me. And don't come out here trying to find me anymore. You won't find me. Bye, Killian."

"Emma?" the Captain attempted to respond worryingly, before hearing the click on the other end of the line indicating she had hung up without giving him another chance to plead with her to come back home. "Emma!"

Emma's parents and Elsa looked at him in concern as finally closed his phone, then Mary Margaret questioned, "Is she alright? Is she coming home?"

Hook shook his head and then he answered, "I don't think so. She's scared. First thing in the morning, I'm going back out there to look for her. I don't care if she asked me not to."


	30. Chapter 30

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Thirty

Early the next morning, Emma got out of her car, and breathed in and out while she struggled again to try to regain control of her powers still shimmering from the palms of her hands, then began to practice using them, conjuring spells that she's used to help her loved ones fight against villains in the past and firing her power against the trees with specific targets in mind to try to hit the right marks. However, her magic fired wildly and she ended up causing more destruction to the forest surrounding her than she intended to. And to make matters even worse, the Snow Queen had come again to taunt her. Despite her best efforts to attack the villainess she hated for making her lose control of herself, she couldn't even scratch her.

Once Ingrid left her alone again, the Savior finally decided it was time to talk to the only person she could think of to help her so that she would no longer be a danger to those she cared about and loved. The only one who could help her to make herself no longer a target for the Snow Queen, whom Emma believed thought her powers were what made her special. As much as her instincts were screaming at her to not to give into her fear by turning to the Dark One for such help, her fear was crippling her and she couldn't take the chance she would hurt anyone again.

Meanwhile…

 _Mary Margaret, David, Elsa, Henry, Ruby and Killian all returned once more to the loft sometime mid morning exhausted, after they had spent the last several hours out searching again for Emma throughout as much of the woods and the town as they could from the moment the sun rose. Each of the seven dwarfs had joined them again as well, and yet despite all of their best efforts, the Savior was still nowhere to be found._

 _"You'd think a big yellow driving machine would be easier to find," the Queen from Arendelle tiredly mumbled while each of them walked inside._

 _"Perhaps she doesn't want to be found, since… you know… that's what she bloody told us," Hook retorted out of frustration and in worry for the woman he loved._

 _David looked over at him as he responded, "Well… the good news is thanks to the ice wall, Emma can't leave town."_

 _Elsa leaned down over the island while she answered softly, "The longer she isolates herself, the worse it'll get. Her magic will just keep spiraling."_

 _"Elsa's right," Mary Margaret then stated with urgency, as she came over to join the others standing around in the kitchen. "This was a bad idea coming home. We should still be out there searching."_

 _"Hey… this isn't your fault," her husband assured her when he looked over at her, then moved around the island to stand in front of her. "It isn't. We'll find Emma, but we've been searching for hours. Everyone's exhausted, yourself included. So we refuel… we regroup. And we go out, and we find our daughter, okay?"_

 _She then nodded as she whispered sadly, "Okay."_

Killian looked between his friends as he thought for any kind of idea that might help him to find Emma, then he turned to Henry while he spoke anxiously saying, "You know Emma better than all of us here, lad. Surely… if anyone can find her, it'd be you. Where would she go to hide from the rest of us? Where no one would suspect her to go?"

"Believe me… I've been trying to think about that myself," the teenager sternly replied to him. "And I've looked everywhere I can think of. Before I joined back up again with the rest of you. But Mom knows better than to go somewhere I could think of. She doesn't want me anywhere around her right now either. She's obviously terrified."

"I know she is," the Captain whispered again out of fear for Emma as he lowered his head to stare down at his hook, before he worryingly ran his hand through his hair on top of his head and looked away from everyone else to avoid their gazes. "How did the Snow Queen do this to her? Emma is so much stronger than she's ever believed about herself, yet she was getting better. She was coming to see what we all see in her. And now… Now, this Snow Queen makes herself known and she's trying to ruin everything Emma has worked so hard for. How?"

 _Elsa looked over at him despite his back being to her, then she responded, "When your powers are out of control, everything's upside down. You don't want to be anywhere near the people you care about."_

 _Hook glanced back at her and answered cynically, "Wonderful. Well, shall we send Sneezy after her then? Or Happy? Which is the dwarf she despises?"_

 _"I was so scared that I would hurt Anna, until I finally realized you can't run away from the people who love you because… in the end, they're the only ones who can help you," the Queen responded._

"Emma will come to realize that soon too," David continued. "Hopefully, before she goes and does something that she'll come to regret."

A short time later, inside Gold's Pawnshop…

 _Upon arriving at his shop, after he had spent a majority of the morning with his wife and the Charmings' son whom Belle had agreed to look after while they were all out looking for Emma, as they had breakfast together and simply talked, Mr. Gold eventually walked in and immediately he sensed that something was wrong, when he noticed that a number of the objects within were moving and powered up all on their own as it appeared no one was controlling them._

 _The Dark One smirked as he watched them, until at last he called out, "If you're trying to hide from me, Miss Swan… you're doing a poor job."_

 _Emma then walked out through the curtain from the back room as she answered, "I'm not hiding from you. I'm hiding from everyone else."_

 _"Ah… So Belle tells me," he replied when he looked straight at her once she moved around the counter to stand in front of him. "She was watching Neal this morning."_

 _"While my family was searching for me, I know," she irritably retorted through the exhaustion she was feeling from having gotten no sleep the night before despite her efforts to try to. "My magic is hurting people, Gold… People I love. I need you to help me control it."_

 _The villain looked at her with surprise as he asked, "What makes you think I'm your best option?"_

The Savior worryingly responded, "Because I'm hurting the people I care about. You saw what I did yesterday to Hook? To my father? They're both very lucky to be okay, but I could have killed them and for all I know, the next person who finds me wanting to help me… I just might. Please… please help me. You might be the only person who can help me."

 _She paused a moment and then continued tensely, "You're probably the only person who's safe around me right now. I need you to help before I hurt anybody else."_

 _Gold walked around to stand behind his counter and faced her once more when Emma turned around to follow his movements, then he finally said, "There's only one way to help with this affliction."_

 _"Well… just fine," Emma desperately retorted, as the Dark One reached out to open up an old book lying out on top of the glass case. "Do it."_

 _"You haven't heard what I have to say," he stated again, as he paused a moment to look up at her just to make she was truly serious about what she wanted from him._

 _The Savior answered him brusquely, "I don't care. Those I love are in pain because of me. Just fix it."_

 _The villain then looked down at the book again and pulled out an old parchment that he had placed folded inside, then opened it up to reveal it to her as he replied, "This… This is an ancient spell. It's designed to take away light magic from those who choose to part with it, but the effect would be permanent."_

 _"So I'd lose all my magic," she eagerly responded to him, not really thinking his warning through carefully enough. "I'd be…"_

 _"Ordinary," Gold finished for her. "But… Your magic would no longer hurt the ones you love, and you would be able to embrace your son."_

 _He then pointed to the wooden box Emma had laid her right hand over while she continued to stand before him, so he could bring her attention to the strange imprint she had suddenly burned into the box's lid lying on the counter a few feet away from him, showing her what her fear was making her do as it grew, in order to frighten her even more._

Then, to draw her in fully, he continued to entice her by saying coldly, "All your loved ones, including your pirate."

 _Because she was so desperate to be fixed so she couldn't hurt those she cared about any longer, Emma failed to see the deception behind the Dark One's eyes, and without caring about the consequences of what losing her magic might entail, the Savior quickly uttered, "Do it."_

 _"Well… unfortunately, Savior magic doesn't go quietly," the villain sternly answered her once again. "Though the spell won't hurt you, it will destroy almost everything else within a city block. That would make for quite a macabre sight at Granny's… don't you think?"_

 _"So let's find somewhere else out in the woods," she vehemently replied._

 _"As you wish," Gold responded in agreement, while he continued to mask his delight upon knowing he had won over the Savior at last, after all the years he'd tried beating her down since she had come to Storybrooke and became the Savior she was destined to become. "I think I know… just the spot."_

 _He quickly pulled out a map from beneath the counter as well, then opened it up to show the layout of their town and circled the area where the Sorcerer's mansion stood while he continued, "Here… Is an abandoned manor. Right here. You meet me here at sundown. And I'll have everything prepared."_

 _The Savior raised her eyes to look up at him one last time before she could leave the shop, as she sincerely replied, "Thanks, Gold. Please don't tell anyone I was here."_

 _"Don't worry about me, dearie," he smugly responded as she turned away and walked out. "It'll be our little secret."_

Outside of the Charmings' loft…

While the heroes continued to talk inside, Killian stepped out and walked outside so he could get some fresh air upon becoming overwhelmed by the entire situation, especially because he worried so much about the woman he loved. While Emma's call the night before had assured her he was physically okay, the truth was he was far from okay, both mentally and emotionally.

"Needed some air… did you?" Ruby then suddenly questioned him, as she came outside and walked towards him from behind while he was too distracted by his thoughts to notice her until she spoke. "David wanted to come find you when he noticed you had slipped out. But I figured you'd be more reluctant to talk to him."

Without turning his head to look over at her once she moved until she was standing beside him, as he continued to stare sadly off in the distance, Killian quietly answered her, "He'd be right."

The young woman nodded, then she looked at him again and replied, "I can imagine what you must be worried about, but… Please talk to me. You can, you know?"

"I can't help but feel… this is all my fault," the pirate Captain reluctantly responded to her, still without looking over at her. "It is my fault. Emma shouldn't be suffering like this. If I had just… I should have protected her."

"You couldn't have known any of this was going to happen, Killian," Red worryingly answered. "We all feel like we're to blame when those we love are suffering. By you doing so, it only proves how much you love her. I'm sure she's just as worried about you too."

Killian shook his head and looked down at the ground, then he continued, "You don't understand. You wouldn't understand. Not this."

She moved around to stand in front of him and once he finally raised his head to look at her, Ruby replied more genuinely, "You can tell me whatever it is that's bothering you. I can't imagine you've done anything so bad, that you deserve to continue beating yourself up like this."

"Is that what's happening here?" Regina then questioned them both, when she came walking up the path to the apartment building, followed by Robin as well. "I thought you'd all be inside trying to come up with a new plan?"

"We were actually waiting for you," Ruby responded, as she turned around to face the Mayor and the archer.

The Queen smiled as she stated, "Then it's a good thing I'm here."

Hook looked at her as he asked firmly, "Did you bring that potion with you?"

"To help us find Miss Swan once and for all… I did," she answered him. "It took me awhile, but I finally did it. I have more news too, but let's get inside. That way I won't have to repeat myself."

A few minutes later, once everyone were together again inside the loft, Mary Margaret expressed her relief to both Regina and Robin because they had come. However, before they could discuss how to help Emma, starting with finding her, the Mayor had other news that needed to be shared.

"I just got word from Nurse Ratched this morning, that somehow… It's possible someone has helped Zelena to escape from her prison cell a few nights ago," she sternly grumbled when she looked around at everyone surrounding her. "I asked her why she hadn't informed me right away, but she claims she'd been put under some kind of sleeping spell for who knows how long and that she had only just discovered Zelena was gone. No thanks to magic."

While Killian looked away from the others out of shame over what he had done to help the Crocodile take his revenge out on Zelena and stayed silent as he began to look over the maps of town still laid out over the coffee table to avoid any of their gazes, David released a sigh in frustration, then he replied, "It's got to be Gold who did this. We should go talk to him… just after we find Emma first."

Regina nodded as she responded, "Agreed. Only, it couldn't have been Gold. I placed up multiple protection spells over her cell's door, as well as inside her room that… there's just no way he could have broken through them all. I tried to find the surveillance footage for the hallway where her cell is located, and the tape is missing. But… we can talk about all of this later. If my sister's escaped, or dead… we can worry about that later. Hopefully, we won't have to worry much before we find Emma."

"Did you bring the locator potion to help us find Emma then?" Mary Margaret eagerly asked her stepmother.

"I did," the Mayor answered her, as she pulled out a small vial from her coat pocket and set it down on the table in front of the others. "The news about Zelena slowed me down a little bit, but it is ready."

 _Elsa then reached down to pick it up to study the magic inside as she replied, "A locator potion. How does this work, exactly?"_

 _David looked between her and the potion in her hands as he responded, "We just pour it over anything that belonged to Emma. Something…"_

 _"Something like this," he quickly added as he glanced around him for something belonging to his daughter, then reached down to pick up Emma's red scarf from the table where Hook was sitting at and held it up._

 _Mary Margaret reached out to take her daughter's scarf from her husband. However, her phone began to ring once she did so and she quickly pulled it out of her pants pocket to look at the screen to see who was calling. And when she saw Emma's name appear on the screen, she then opened it to answer._

 _"It's her," she quickly told everyone in the room as Killian stood up from the table to keep his eyes firmly on the woman now talking to Emma._

 _"Hey… Mom," the Savior quietly said before her mother could begin. "It's me."_

 _The older Princess sadly and sincerely whispered, "Emma… I am so sorry about what happened yesterday. I don't want you to ever think that we are afraid of you."_

 _While Emma stood beside her yellow bug, she answered her assuredly, "Don't worry. It doesn't matter."_

 _"No, of course it matters," her mother immediately retorted._

 _"This is all gonna be over soon," the Savior replied to her again, before Mary Margaret could go on. "I just needed to tell you that I'm okay. I… I have a way to fix everything."_

 _Mary Margaret started to nod while she continued to listen to Emma explain what little she was willing to, until her daughter suddenly hung up on her before she could stop her as she worryingly cried out, "Emma… no, wait."_

 _When she turned around again to face the others who were all looking at her, David asked in concern, "What did she say?"_

 _"She said she's going to get rid of her magic…" his wife sadly responded. "Forever."_

 _"How is that even possible?" Elsa asked in disbelief, while Killian lowered his head and stared in front of him as fear came into his eyes upon realizing what Emma might be doing to help her do so._

 _The Princess then added, "She said it will all be over soon, and she can't wait to be home for a cocoa with cinnamon."_

 _David slowly sat upon feeling his own disbelief in his daughter's decision, then Hook spoke out worryingly while he asked, "Did she say anything about the method? If it was a spell or… A magic object of some kind?"_

 _"Who cares how she's doing it," the Prince frustratingly retorted as he briefly glanced up at him. "That's not what matters here."_

 _"No… you're absolutely right," the pirate nervously answered him, then began to search each of his pockets for his phone. "I wonder if she tried to call me."_

 _When it appeared he couldn't find it, he began walking towards the door to leave the loft while he swiftly uttered, "Bloody hell. I left my talking phone in the back of your truck."_

 _Without looking at him again, David replied, "It's just called a phone."_

 _"What an impractical name," Hook grumbled again and opened the door. "I'll be back in two shakes."_

 _However, the moment he left the apartment and closed the door behind him so that he was alone, Killian swiftly reached into his right side jacket pocket again and pulled out his cell phone, having lied to his friends about not having it on him so he could try to call Emma on his own so he could warn her, without taking the time to try to explain to the others how he might know what Emma was up to, or how Gold could help her._

 _"Emma… it's Killian," he fearfully whispered to her, upon leaving her a message once again when she failed to answer his call, while he made his way down the stairs to leave the apartment building. "Call me right away, or you may never make it home for cinnamon and cocoa… Ever."_

 _And then, he hung up as he cursed to himself saying, "Damn it, Swan! Don't tell me you trusted the Crocodile."_

Once outside, Killian looked around him for any hopeful sign of Emma despite knowing she was still nowhere to be found, then he began to run in the direction of Gold's shop while he shouted angrily, "Crocodile!"


	31. Chapter 31

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Thirty-One

While the rest of the heroes prepared to leave as they began to come up with a new plan to find Emma, Robin turned to Regina and Henry while he pulled them both aside, then whispered, "As much as I'd like to be a part of trying to find Emma, I'm not so sure I'm really needed here. You all have plenty control over the situation. But… I was thinking that maybe Henry and I could head to Granny's and talk with an old friend of mine. Well… more like an old associate of mine. I'm not so sure you can really call us friends. Not anymore. However, he may have some ideas that could help us with Operation Mongoose. And doing so might help to keep Henry's mind off of his worry for his mother a little?"

At first, the teenager shook his head as he answered, "I want to keep searching for my mom. I'm good at talking her down whenever she's scared. I can help."

"We know you can, Henry," Regina genuinely responded as she looked into his eyes. "Of course you can. It's just… I want you to stay here in town where's it's safe. With Robin. I don't mean that Emma's a danger to you. It's more the Snow Queen I'm worried about. And besides, I think with the locator's potion and the number of us who are here now, she's in good hands. We will find her, Henry. I promise. Just please… go with Robin?"

"Fine," he finally relented, then smiled at his mother. "But only because we have Operation Mongoose to begin work on. And it's equally important. When you do find Mom, tell her I said she's going to be okay and that I know she can defeat whatever it is that's causing her to lose control of her magic."

Regina nodded, then she replied, "I will. Good luck."

Robin smiled at the woman he loved and quickly leaned in to kiss her, before he pulled back again as he answered, "Don't worry… we'll find us some answers. If anyone can, it's Henry."

"Thank you," she responded to him, then watched them leave, before she turned back to listen to the other conversations going on around her.

"How did we come to this, David?" Mary Margaret was asking her husband, as she was sitting on her bed with her knees pulled up against her chest while she stared down in front of her. "How is it that we allowed our daughter to think we were so afraid of her… that she feels like the only way we're ever going to accept her again is by getting rid of her magic. Her magic is only a part of what makes her so special, but it is a part of her. She can't get rid of it. But she won't listen to us."

Charming sat down on the bed beside her and then he replied softly, "She's not getting rid of her magic because she's afraid we won't accept her if she keeps them, Mary Margaret. She is only trying to protect us. She's more afraid of herself than we showed fear towards her yesterday afternoon. She's terrified. But you know what? She's also strong. She's a fighter. We will find her in time and prove to her that we are not afraid of her like we made her feel. She'll forgive us for it. And if she really wants to get rid of her magic, then maybe she's right to want to do so. Maybe… she'll be happier without it."

His wife looked into his eyes and smiled at him sadly, then leaned forward to kiss the man she loved until he finally just wrapped his arms around her to comfort her while he held her tightly against his body, as she whispered, "Maybe. I don't know, David."

In the living room, Ruby was talking with Elsa as Regina joined them when she took a seat next to the Queen of Arendelle on the couch. The girl who was part wolf was talking about enlisting Belle to help them look, having heard of her adventure with tracking down Phillip while he had been trapped in the form of the Yaoguai, when no one else was able to do it.

However, she changed her mind about doing so, not wanting to pull her friend away from her husband, if Gold was attempting to do better by her by coming home earlier than he had been since Ingrid revealed herself. She then turned her head in order to look around the room and finally noticed that Hook hadn't come back yet despite saying that he would. And he had been gone now for some time.

Ruby knew there was something troubling him deeply, and ever since she found him sleeping on the bench, if not unconscious like she had begun to suspect he had been once she began to notice how off he seemed, she couldn't help but worry about him. However, before she could make up her mind about what to do, Regina pulled her from her thoughts when she spoke to her minutes later.

"Red… are you alright?" Regina asked her upon noticing she had drifted off.

"Yes," Ruby quickly stated. "I'm fine. Sorry… it's just that Hook hasn't come back yet. I noticed is all. I'm sorry… what were we talking about?"

Elsa looked towards the bed where David and Mary Margaret were still talking while he held his wife, then she anxiously answered, "I was only telling Regina that I don't understand why we're all still here, when she has brought us a way to finally find Emma. We need to use it fast. Before Emma can do whatever it is she's going to do to rid herself of her magic. Believe me… I know how it feels to want to rid myself of my own magic too. But it's a part of us. Just like I'm sure you must feel about your own magic too, Regina? And you, Ruby… about the part of you that is wolf I mean?"

Both of them nodded in agreement, then Regina responded, "You're right, Elsa. We should get going. But first… we need to convince the Charmings of that. I have a feeling they might not feel the same way about their daughter and her magic."

"Ruby?" Elsa worryingly questioned her, when she saw she had become lost in thought again and then gently reached out to squeeze her arm. "Hey… are you sure you're okay?"

"You know… the two of you do what you need to do," Ruby sternly replied, as she quickly stood up before Regina or Elsa could, and began to pull her jacket she laid over the arm of the couch back on so she could leave. "I haven't really been much help and because my ability is pretty useless right now… at least in finding Emma. So, I'm going to use it to try to find Hook instead. Something's wrong with him. I've sensed it for awhile and so far I've ignored it. I can't anymore. It's what Emma would want. Tell Mary Margaret and David for me?"

The Queen from Arendelle nodded in understanding and said, "Then go. We'll find Emma. Good luck."

Little Red Riding Hood smiled, then she expressed worryingly, "Thank you. Good luck to you too. And be careful."


	32. Chapter 32

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Thirty-Two

 _"Crocodile?!" Killian angrily shouted out the moniker he had given Rumplestiltskin long ago once more as he stormed into Gold's shop upon leaving the Charmings' loft, hoping to find him still there so he could try to stop him from doing to Emma, like he and the Dark One had done to the Apprentice and Zelena, then moved forward while he looked around him until he was standing in front of the main counter in the back of the room. "Where are you?!"_

 _"Emma," he then whispered in fear, upon suddenly seeing the Savior's handprint seared into the lid of a wooden box a few feet to his right lying on top of the glass case, before he reached out shakily to trace her imprint with his fingers. "No. No, no, no."_

 _At last, the Captain swiftly pulled out his cell phone again from his pocket and called Emma, pleading inside his mind that she would answer, only for her phone to once again go straight to voicemail. And then… despite his own fear that she would forever hate him upon admitting as much of the truth as he could in such a brief message, he finally did so, if it meant his confession could save her life._

 _Killian spoke brusquely saying, "Swan... it's Killian again. You have to listen to me. I know that you've been to see Gold. I saw what you did. And if he's promised to get rid of your powers, don't listen to him. He doesn't want to help you. He wants... He wants to collect your powers in a bloody magic hat. And when he does, you'll be sucked in too. I… I don't know what he's planning, but I know that he's been lying to Belle. The dagger he gave her is a fake."_

 _And then, he froze a moment until he gathered as much strength within himself as he could muster, before he sorrowfully continued, "I only know all this because… Because I'm afraid I've been lying to you too. Gold blackmailed me into helping him. He knew. He knew I'd do whatever it takes to be with you, and he used it against me. I just wanted to be a better man for you, Swan. But I failed. And now because of it, I might lose you. I'm sorry. But I hope you never forgive me because that means that you'll get this in time to save yourself. Goodbye."_

 _The pirate Captain at last hung up again and lowered his phone away from his ear as he prepared to place it back inside his pocket. However, as he did so, Hook's eyes suddenly froze upon the map of Storybrooke left lying out on top of the glass counter still in front of him, with a specific spot circled in blue ink._

Killian quickly studied the area, believing it was where Gold had told Emma to meet him again, then he immediately rushed out of the shop the same way he had come in and slammed the door closed behind him, not knowing that the Dark One had conveniently left the map out for him to find in order to draw his oldest enemy into a trap solely meant for him. Unfortunately, in leaving in such a hurry, Hook failed to see Archie as the doctor had started to walk past the shop while out walking Pongo, and suddenly bumped into him once he stepped back outside.

"Hook?" Archie uttered first in surprise after the Captain ran into him. "I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting you to suddenly come charging out of Gold's shop."

"No… it's I who should apologize," Hook sincerely replied to him, then looked past him urgently in the direction of the Sorcerer's mansion. "I'm sorry."

The psychiatrist nodded as he waved off being bumped into, until he noticed Killian looking past him, as well as the urgency and sadness in his eyes, then Archie looked back at him again and with concern, he asked, "Are you alright, Killian? Are… Are you in a hurry to go somewhere?"

The pirate finally really looked at him as well and answered, "I'm afraid I am. I have to try to fix a terrible mistake I've made. Forgive me, Cricket. But I have to go."

"Wait!" Archie called out to the pirate Captain out of worry, once Hook took off past him, running wherever it was he was in a hurry to get to. "You can talk to me about anything!"

"Come on then, Pongo," he then quietly stated to his dalmatian as he looked down at the dog still patiently waiting beside him after Killian turned a corner out of sight, and continued walking while he spoke to him. "I'm not so sure I'll ever be able to be of help to Hook. He won't let me try and I'm pretty sure it's because he regrets out first encounter after he first arrived here in Storybrooke. He's a better man than most of us used to give him credit for. Even you like him now, don't you?"

Pongo looked up at him almost sadly and whined as if to indicate he was concerned as well. So Archie lowered one of his hands to pet him, then together he and the dalmatian continued to make their way towards Granny's for an early dinner, where he planned to meet up with Marco and Pinocchio.

A few minutes later…

After she had left the Charmings' apartment as well in search of Killian, Ruby attempted to follow the pirate for as long as she could while she sniffed out his scent, until she finally lost it. So, she took a moment to consider her options, then finally turned back towards her grandmother's diner and at last ran inside, feeling grateful upon seeing her standing behind the counter while she was talking with Marco and his son.

Upon seeing her granddaughter rush inside and saw the concern on her face, Granny quickly asked, "Ruby? Is everything all right? What's wrong?"

Little Red Riding Hood looked between her and Marco, who also looked up at her with his own concern, then she shook her head as she responded, "Actually, no. Everything isn't all right."

"I think Hook's in trouble," she continued again, after she had momentarily become distracted when Archie walked inside after he finished tying Pongo up outside. "He's been acting strange for days and I'm worried about him."

"I just ran into Hook a few minutes ago, just outside of Gold's shop," the doctor worryingly replied once he walked over to join them all at the bar and took a seat on the stool beside his closest friend, while everyone turned to look at him. "He was definitely concerned all right. And if the look I had seen in his eyes wasn't bad enough, he said the strangest thing to me just before he took off running again. He said that he had to go and try to fix a terrible mistake he had made. Do you have any idea what he was talking about, Ruby?"

She shook her head as she answered crossly, "No. But if Hook came running out of the pawnshop, then there's a good possibility that Gold's behind whatever's going on with him and it can't be good."

Geppetto nodded and responded, "I agree. Some people have said Gold has changed, yet I am still not so sure I believe it."

"I wanted to believe it," Archie replied in concern, as he thought back to nights ago when he had married the Dark One and Belle. "Especially for Belle's sake."

"Granny… I need the extra key to Hook's room so I can find me something I can use to track him with," Red then said urgently when she looked back again at her grandmother. "I may not have been able to help Emma by tracking her scent, but at least I can help her by helping the man she loves. And he's our friend. Please."

The older woman stared at Ruby sternly, until she finally relented when she walked back into the kitchen, then returned moments later with the spare key for the room and handed it over to her granddaughter while she answered, "This is against everything I stand for. I don't like invading one of my tenants' privacy. But if you really feel that strongly about that pirate being in trouble, then… just this once. But only take something you can use to track him. Don't go snooping, or touch anything else. Do you hear me, girl?"

Ruby nodded as she responded, "Yes, ma'am."

A few minutes later, Red stood in front of the door to Killian's room and instinctively knocked, not expecting him to suddenly open it up to her because she knew he wasn't there, but because she was just nervous about entering without his permission. Then, she finally stuck the key inside the lock, opened the door, and walked inside.

She wasn't at all surprised to find that his room was incredibly neat, with nothing out of place. He was a sea Captain and had been a member of the Royal Navy as well. A part of her wanted to take a few minutes to look around. However, she knew she didn't have time to waste and like Granny, she also didn't wish to invade the Captain's privacy.

So, Ruby turned towards the closet where what little amount of clothes he possessed were hanging up, quickly grabbed one of his vests he liked to wear over his button up shirts, then she at last breathed in Killian's scent so she could go after her friend, hopefully before anything bad could happen to him.


	33. Chapter 33

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Thirty-Three

Meanwhile…

After the Savior had left his shop to prepare herself for what she believed would be getting rid of her magic once and for all, Gold's thoughts then turned to the Snow Queen and he realized that Ingrid would do everything in her power to try to stop him from hurting the woman she herself also had her own plans for. And he knew that he would have to come up with a way to distract her, or to keep her trapped long enough so he could pull Emma inside the Sorcerer's hat just like he had done to the others. Thankfully, he didn't have to think long before a new idea on how he could do so came to him.

The Dark One glanced down at the map still lying out on the counter in front of him, as he suspected it wouldn't be long before Hook would eventually figure out his plans for Emma and that the pirate would come charging in to try to stop him. So, he made sure that the map was then positioned right in the right way, where Hook would discover where to come to so he could draw his enemy into his own trap, and finally poofed himself from his shop to Zelena's barn where Elsa had come through the Wicked Witch's time portal behind Emma and Killian, while still trapped with the urn she later destroyed with her magic.

Once he reappeared within the barn, where the circle for the time spell remained carved within the earth under his feet, Gold looked around him for the remains of the urn he knew wouldn't be anything more than dust shards at best. Then, he knelt down low to the ground as he carefully emitted his power from his hands to part the remains from the dirt one particle at a time until all of the remains came together within a round vial he carried on him inside his coat pocket.

When the Dark One finally finished, he took a moment to examine the remains within the vial, then waved his hand in order to poof himself again to the Snow Queen's lair, where he was glad to see that Ingrid was nowhere in sight. Not knowing when she would return, Gold used his magic once again to spread the urn's remains around within a circle in front of the villainess' mirror as quickly as he was able, then immediately hid just as Ingrid returned and moved to stand in front of her mirror like he suspected she would, to spy on either Emma or Elsa.

 _While she gazed into her magic mirror, Gold stepped out of hiding as he appeared behind her, and when she saw him, Ingrid looked at him through the glass, then without concern, she questioned coolly, "_ _Did you come here for a reason? As I recall, I already told you what you need to do to free yourself from your dagger."_

 _The Dark One just smiled smugly and mumbled, "Hmm."_

 _"I have nothing more to give you," the Snow Queen then continued when he didn't say anything, and turned around to actually face him. "Unless… You simply like watching me."_

 _Gold looked down in front of him while he at last responded calmly, "I never do anything without a good reason. And watching your twisted mind at work does not qualify."_

 _He then began to walk around her in a circle like she had once done to him a few afternoons ago, while she raised her brows in surprise upon hearing what he truly thought of her and replied, "Twisted? Says the man who betrayed everyone in Storybrooke."_

 _"I haven't betrayed a single person," the Dark One answered while he glanced her way again, then continued pacing his circle. "Not yet, anyway."_

 _Ingrid looked over at the yellow ribbons Gold had returned to her in their deal now lying still within their box upon her bed, and pointed to them from where she remained standing, then asked, "Did you forget that you gave me those? Did you forget what they can do?"_

 _He finally stopped pacing and then faced her while he responded haughtily, "I don't forget much, dearie. But if you plan to put that ribbon on Emma Swan, you're about to be disappointed. With her powers out of control, I've now found my own use for her."_

 _"You think… you can take her away from me now?" the Snow Queen darkly asked him as her eyes grew cold, then raised her hand so she could attack him with her own magic, until Ingrid suddenly discovered she had become surrounded by some kind of magical force field and had become trapped._

 _She gasped out of anger as she struggled to break free, then asked sternly, "What did you do?"_

 _The Dark One sneered, "Look down."_

 _"Remember the urn your sister placed you in?" he smugly continued to explain once she did so, as the remains suddenly gave off a yellow glow when his own dark magic only strengthened around her. "It had the power to limit your magic."_

 _"Elsa destroyed that urn," Ingrid replied worryingly, as she struggled to understand what he had done and what his plans were for Emma._

 _Gold answered her again, "Well, funny thing about magic… It can never be destroyed completely. It simply lives on in other forms. Magic survives. I visited the barn where the urn was destroyed, collected its remnants grain by grain… Painstaking process. And I must say… the effort paid off."_

 _When the villain started to walk away from her, the Snow Queen cried out to him threateningly, "When I escape, there will be a terrible price to pay."_

 _"Don't worry," he cruelly retorted back after he stopped moving, then turned around again to face her once more. "The dust won't last long. Just long enough to get what I want. And uh… you see, I don't have to betray everyone in Storybrooke. Just you. And I'm afraid… Emma Swan."_

"Emma will never fall for your lies!" the Snow Queen then shouted out after him when the Dark One walked away again, this time without turning back. "You can't do this to me! We had a deal. Rumplestiltskin? Rumplestiltskin! You will fail, Dark One! One way or another, you will fail!"


	34. Chapter 34

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Thirty-Four

Once again inside the Charmings' loft…

After Ruby left the apartment to go after Hook, Elsa and Regina both stood up from the couch, then the Mayor walked over to finally confront Emma's parents about why they were taking so long to come up with a plan to find their daughter, while the Queen from Arendelle stood by the table and waited by, as she looked down again at the locator potion Regina had brought with her to help them.

Then, not willing to waste any more time to help her friend she had grown close to since her arrival in Storybrooke, or to risk David and Mary Margaret refusing to understand, Elsa picked up the vial, as well as Emma's scarf, and silently slipped out without any of the others noticing she had so she could try to find Emma. In the meantime, Regina finally broke the Charmings from their own private conversation on their bed at last.

"What exactly are we waiting for?" she crossly questioned them in frustration while she stood in front of them. "Why are we all still here instead of out still trying to find Emma? I'm really surprised at you both."

"Didn't you hear?" Mary Margaret asked her stepmother in confusion, remembering back to Regina being there among them when Emma had called earlier. "When Emma called?"

The dark haired Queen nodded sternly as she answered, "Of course, I remember her calling. But I still don't understand why you haven't moved at all from this spot so you can try to talk her out of her decision to get rid of her magic. We all remember what happened the last time she lost her magic. Not so long ago too. And eventually, she came to regret it. Are you really okay with her doing so again… this time because she's afraid of hurting those she loves?"

 _David looked at her in confusion, then glanced over at his wife before he replied, "_ _We support our daughter."_

 _"We're not talking about an old pair of Jimmy Choos here," Regina frustratingly responded again as she continued to look between them. "Tell me you're joking."_

 _Mary Margaret seemed surprised by her concern over their decision to support their daughter's decision, then she answered, "It may seem drastic, but it's the only way Emma can be sure never to hurt anyone again."_

 _Her stepmother threw her hands up in the air out of disbelief, then turned away and walked towards the island while she gruffly replied, "This could be the worst idea you've ever had. And you hired the Wicked Witch as your nanny."_

 _"Well… we actually think it'll be good for her," the Prince responded to her, and finally helped his wife up off the bed so they could both follow their friend into the kitchen. "We… She could be normal."_

 _"Let me ask you something," Regina then continued more delicately. "Do you know what I regret most?"_

 _David callously asked in frustration, "Countless innocent lives you destroyed?"_

 _Regina looked at him sadly, until she lowered her head to look down at her hands in front of her as she answered softly, "That I didn't support Henry when he realized he was special."_

 _"You of all people should remember," she then added as she raised her head again to look up at Mary Margaret. "Cause you started it all when you gave him that storybook."_

 _"It opened up a whole world for him," the Queen continued on as she once again looked between them both. "But I was so scared of losing him… that I tried convincing him he was crazy… and that being normal would make things better. Thankfully, he had the good sense not to listen to me."_

 _At last, the Princess understood and she looked over at her husband as she spoke to him with remorse saying, "Regina's right. David… we've been rationalizing, and you know it. We cannot let her take away what's special about her."_

 _David nodded in agreement, then he replied, I know."_

 _"Well then, let's go get her," Mary Margaret responded again, as she turned back to the dining room table to pick up the potion, which they then discovered was no longer where they had left it. "Regina, your locator potion…"_

 _"It's gone," Regina stated to finish for her._

 _They then looked around the room and saw their friend from Arendelle was also gone, as David questioned, "Where's Elsa?"_

Meanwhile…

 _The sun was setting as Emma drove herself out to the Sorcerer's mansion somewhere within the middle of the woods. However, as she continued on the road, she became startled when the Snow Queen suddenly appeared in front of her car and the Savior immediately slammed on her breaks, which then caused her to crash just off the side of the road and strike her head hard enough against the steering wheel to knock her unconscious. Thankfully, she awoke a few minutes later and quickly got up out of her car to begin looking around her upon remembering the villainess appear in front of her, despite the pain she felt in her head from the accident._

 _All of a sudden, Ingrid appeared to her again, this time behind her as she called out to her, "Emma."_

 _"Stay back," the Savior fearfully uttered, as she gasped when she felt herself begin to lose control of her powers like before and struggled to keep them maintained._

 _"Wherever you're headed, turn around and go home," the Snow Queen then adamantly demanded of her. "You are in great danger."_

 _The younger woman stared at her in disbelief while she retorted angrily, "You think I'm gonna listen to you about danger? Get out of my way."_

 _However, Ingrid continued to persist that she hear her out as she answered, "My sweet girl… I am not the one that you should fear. Rumplestiltskin is. Whatever he's promised you, it's a lie."_

 _"How do you know he promised me anything?" Emma questioned her again._

 _"So I was right," the villainess replied crossly, then swiftly walked around the woman she hoped to make her sister to face her again once Emma turned away from her, as she forcefully continued. "You mustn't trust him, Emma. He doesn't do anything unless it benefits him. He doesn't care about you. He would kill you to get what he desires."_

 _Yet the Savior still refused to believe her, as she responded firmly, "You know what I think? The fact that you don't want me to go means something. It means I'm going."_

 _The Snow Queen moved in closer to her while he answered crossly, "I won't let you."_

 _"You're not gonna hurt me," Emma replied once again in disbelief and then turned to walk away from her to head back to her car. "You need me."_

 _"Don't do this," Ingrid then pleaded once she suddenly appeared again in front of her to bar her path, suddenly startling Emma like the villainess had the first time._

 _The Savior stared at her in shock while she reached out to try to touch her arm, until her hand phased right through her as Ingrid soon became nothing more than snow flying all around her before she reappeared again, and Emma grumbled, "What the…? You're not here."_

 _The older woman responded more sternly, "If I could be, I would. I'm trying to protect you, and that is the truth."_

 _"I don't care what you say," Emma retorted, then walked right through the villainess to get back inside her car._

 _"That's the truth," she then stated to mock the Snow Queen's words despite her truly meaning well, then the Savior at last backed up so that her yellow bug was back on the road again and continued to drive onwards._

The real villainess had been watching the scene from within her mirror in worry as she used her magic to conjure the images, as well as to appear before the young woman in order to plead with her to listen. And when she had failed as Emma drove away, Ingrid waved her hand over the images again in anger over the Savior's stubbornness to make them vanish, so only her own reflection appeared once more in front of her. She had become helpless to save Emma from herself, and the Dark One.


	35. Chapter 35

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Thirty-Five

A short time later…

Upon leaving the Snow Queen's lair, Gold poofed himself inside the sheriff's station in order to break the young thief he had allied himself with days ago out of his prison cell, so Will could help him enter the Sorcerer's mansion one more time. When he appeared, Will was busy trying to escape himself, then jumped and fell back on his butt against the floor when the Dark One suddenly appeared before him. And before the thief could say a word, the villain used his magic to simply open the cell door to set Will free.

The younger man looked up at him suspiciously without rising from the floor and then he asked, "All right… exactly what are ya after now? There's no way yer letting me out of here out of the goodness of your heart. You don't have one."

Gold smiled down at him arrogantly and then he replied, "I need you for the same reasons as before. Help me inside the mansion once more, and you're a free man. Refuse… then I will lock you back inside of this cell of yours and make sure that the sheriffs here learn about a few more crimes you might have committed since you've arrived here in Storybrooke. Perhaps even crimes you haven't committed. What do you say?"

"I say… let's do it then," the thief then responded and finally got back up on his feet as he brushed the dirt from the floor off of his pants. "When do we go?"

"Right now," the Dark One answered, and swiftly poofed them back outside of the mansion without giving Will a chance to object.

Once they arrived, Will struggled to regain his bearings after being magicked away so suddenly, then he glared at the man who brought him there and grumbled, "Don't you ever… do that again. I'm not a fan of magic. At least not your kind."

The villain smiled as he stated, "I don't have time to waste. Now get me inside."

"Sheesh… you're in a mood tonight, ain't ya?" Will replied in frustration, then finally he turned around to walk the rest of the way towards the house and onto the porch with Gold right behind him.

Once Will reached the door and helped the Dark One inside like he had done for him before, he watched curiously as Gold summoned a strange round box into his hand and walked inside the library, then knelt down so he could set it on the floor. When he did so, the older man then pulled out his dagger, but before he did anything more, he turned around to glare up at the thief still with him.

"Are you still here?" he snidely questioned. "Leave now, and close the library's doors behind you. And say nothing about you being here or about me using you to get inside this mansion either time. Because if you do, I will know about it. Is that understood?"

Will raised his hands in understanding as he responded, "I get it. I do. I'll leave. Thanks for letting me out."

And with that said, he turned and left the mansion, snatching a few more trinkets and books he knew could fetch him a pretty sum if he fenced them. Gold on the other hand, finished summoning the Sorcerer's hat from the box with his dagger, then tipped it over so that its opening remained upwards just as Emma walked inside, and carefully stepped away from it so he too wouldn't be pulled inside.

 _As Emma entered the room just beyond the library, she called out, "Hello? Gold? You here?"_

 _"Gold?" she shouted out again, after she continued to struggle against her powers bursting to break out of her as she squeezed her palms closed, while the electricity all around her crackled and she then turned upon seeing a bright yellow glow suddenly shine through the cracks from within the next room closed off by its doors. "Gold? Gold, you in there?"_

 _"There's no need to shout," the villain answered her when he appeared behind her moments later, then stayed back. "I'm right here. You'll forgive me if I keep my distance. It would appear your powers are growing increasingly out of control."_

 _The Savior looked worried as she replied sternly, "Yeah, it was a rough night. So, what do I need to do?"_

 _Gold kept his eyes on her while he softly responded, "I've already cast the spell inside that room. All you have to do is… step through the door."_

 _"Is something wrong?" he then asked her upon sensing her hesitation._

 _"Just… I ran into the Snow Queen," Emma answered him._

 _Not seeming too surprised, Gold questioned, "Did you?"_

 _She struggled to find the right words as she grumbled, "Well… sort of. It was a projection or a hologram, or I don't know what it was."_

 _Emma raised her eyes again to look directly at the man now standing before her, as she searched his face for any signs of deception when she continued worryingly, "She said I shouldn't do this. That you were trying to hurt me."_

 _"All right, so now we know who doesn't want you to do this…" the Dark One deceptively replied. "The villain. Sounds like an argument for it, but maybe that's just me."_

 _"That's what I said," she responded quickly._

 _"But you still have doubts," he then said again as if he could read her thoughts._

 _Emma asked him crossly, "Do you blame me?"_

 _Gold shook his head as he answered plainly, "No."_

 _"Is it safe?" the Savior asked him again as she looked firmly into his eyes. "Will I be okay?"_

 _"No magic is without risk, even magic used to take away magic," the Dark One sternly replied to her again and continued. "Look… this is very much your choice. And of course, it was also your idea."_

 _She slowly nodded and then questioned him, "But it's gonna stop me from hurting people?"_

 _He replied, "That much I can promise… yes."_

 _"What would you do?" Emma asked again after she glanced back towards the magic still coming through the other room and turned back around to face him, while she looked down momentarily at her hands as well._

 _"I wouldn't go in there for anything," the Dark One responded to her in all sincerity._

 _She stared at him then in surprise as she uttered, "What? Why?"_

 _Gold answered her again honestly, "Because, Emma… I'm not like you. I'm a man who makes wrong decisions. Selfish decisions."_

 _"But you spent all that time looking for Neal," the Savior replied out of confusion by his answer despite the man's past, and not knowing just how much he was deceiving her by offering to help her, as well as with all he's done to the man she didn't yet know she loved. "You sacrificed yourself to save the town. You married Belle."_

 _"And each time, I meticulously undid all the good," he responded, continuing to be completely honest with her. "Neal is still gone, the town is still in danger, and Belle… for better or worse… she knows who I am. And that's the man who always chooses power."_

 _Emma answered, "She believes you can change."_

 _The Dark One replied, "And I love her for that. But I fear she's quite likely wrong. But you, Emma… You don't need to change. Because you do the right thing. Always."_

 _"Gold… Thank you," she then responded to him at last after they had both turned away from one another, until she quickly called back to him in gratitude for being sincere with her before he left._

 _"Of course," Gold answered, turning back to face her once more. "We have no choice."_

At last, Gold walked away and left Emma alone while she turned back towards the library, as she struggled with her decision to lose her powers again for good, this time out of fear even if she was also doing so to protect those she cared about, like she had done to save Hook from drowning at Gold's and Zelena's hands.


	36. Chapter 36

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Thirty-Six

Killian made his way from town and through the woods towards the Sorcerer's mansion as quickly as he was able to on foot, in the hope that he would arrive in time to save Emma from the Dark One's treachery before he could destroy the second woman whom he truly loved, even more so than he had ever loved before. Like Rumplestiltskin had murdered Milah centuries ago too. Losing Emma because of his own deception and his role in luring her into Gold's trap would be hard enough, as Killian believed beyond a shadow of a doubt she would never forgive him for all he'd done once she learned the truth. But losing his Savior to death, or whatever it was that happened to those who are pulled inside the hat, would surely kill him.

 _"_ _Swan!" Hook then cried out once he finally arrived at the gates just outside of the mansion and immediately started towards it, until Gold suddenly appeared in front of him to block his path._

 _"Watch your step, Captain," the villain casually said to the pirate as he did so. "The terrain's a little rough around here."_

 _Killian looked his oldest enemy in his eyes while he responded darkly, "Get out of my way, Crocodile. I'll die fighting before I let you use that bloody hat on Emma."_

 _All of a sudden, before the pirate could even attempt to protect himself, the Dark One waved his hand to roughly force Hook back against the gates behind him, causing him to cry out in pain, and Gold swiftly enchanted a hose from the yard, using his magic to wrap it around Killian's body, arms, legs, and his hook to keep him secure, then answered snidely, "Death can wait. How about before you depart, I'll treat you to a front row seat and we can watch her use that hat on herself?"_

 _"No," the younger man grumbled under his breath and struggled to break free from his bonds so he could help Emma, instead of being forced to watch her sacrifice herself to protect those she loved like his enemy wanted for him to._

"Hook!" a voice swiftly called out to him, as Ruby suddenly appeared when she ran towards him and the villain restraining him, then carefully observed the scene playing out before her while she looked between both men in worry. "Gold… what the hell are you doing?! Let Hook go! Don't you understand? He's trying to save Emma!"

However, the villain didn't say a word to her. Instead, he swiftly used his power to render the young woman unconscious after he flung her back a little ways through the air and dropped her, causing Ruby to scream just before she struck her head against the pavement when she fell to the ground. Little Red Riding Hood wasn't a part of his plans for the pirate Captain still struggling in front of him.

Once she fell and lost consciousness, Hook cried out again, "No! Gold… leave her alone!"

The Dark One answered coldly, "Relax. I really don't wish to harm the girl who's part wolf. She helped me out once some time ago with a favor, and I was grateful. Which is why she'll be just fine shortly. I simply can't have her be awake for what's about to happen. She will try to get in my way, and I'm too close to getting what I want. And that is… Emma Swan's Savior magic. Her powers will at last give me exactly what I need."

 _"Don't worry," he then continued, as he smiled smugly and cruelly at his captive who glared back at him in anger, while Killian continued his struggle to break free despite knowing it would be impossible. "You'll get over her… Just like you got over Milah. How many centuries did that take? Oh… it matters not. This might even add a little fuel to your fire. Don't tell me you haven't missed the taste of vengeance."_

 _"She's mother to your grandson, Gold!" Killian shouted back at him once more. "Don't do this!"_

 _Mr. Gold sneered, "I wish I didn't have to. But I need Miss Swan. Surely you understand that."_

Meanwhile…

 _Elsa also ran to the Sorcerer's mansion from the Charmings' loft, as she followed her friend's red scarf after the Queen had sprinkled Regina's locator potion over it so that the cloth would guide her to Emma. Upon her arrival, she failed to see either Hook, Gold, or Ruby, as she was too distracted while she cried out Emma's name a number of times until she finally made her way up to the mansion's door. But when she attempted to open it, she found it was locked, so she swiftly used her icy powers to freeze the handle enough so she could break inside._

 _When she cautiously entered inside, Elsa looked around for Emma and found her just as the Savior was about to enter the room where she suspected Gold's magical solution was waiting to rip away her friend's magic from her, then she immediately pleaded, "Emma… stop!"_

 _"Elsa, what the hell are you doing here?" the Savior fearfully asked her, as the lights within the chandelier above them suddenly began to spark again once her powers flared even more out of control. "You have to leave now."_

 _"I'm sorry," the Queen of Arendelle then replied in sincerity upon seeing how she had frightened her. "I won't let you do this."_

 _Emma looked into her eyes while she responded worryingly, "My powers are out of control. There's no other way. Please… go. Now."_

 _While Emma's magic and the power throughout the room continued to surge uncontrollably, Elsa shook her head as she answered adamantly, "No. You didn't give up on me even when you nearly froze to death in that ice cave, so I'm not giving up on you now. I know how scary it is… hurting someone you love. I've lived in fear of that my entire life. But giving up your magic is not the answer. There is another way."_

 _"Yeah… you told me all about how Anna's love saved you, and that's great," the younger woman hopelessly replied to her, as her tears began to fall. "But guess what? My version of that with Killian didn't work. This is all I have left."_

 _"I was wrong," the Queen responded to her friend again a few moments later, once Emma turned again to face the door and reached out, preparing to walk inside the library, until she suddenly stopped when Elsa continued. "It wasn't just Anna's love that saved me."_

 _The Savior faced her again as she asked her in confusion, "What are you talking about?"_

 _Elsa answered, "When I landed in this strange town, I was certain that without Anna, I was doomed. But I got control over my powers again without her."_

 _"How?" Emma questioned again._

 _"I didn't really know until today," her friend from another kingdom sincerely replied to her, as Elsa then slowly began to walk closer to her unafraid. "Until the same thing happened to you, and then it finally hit me. It's not only Anna's love or Killian's, or Henry's, or your parents' that can save us. They accept us for who we are, and that's important. But it's not enough. It's on us too. You have to love yourself, Emma. The good and the bad. The only way to ever truly be in control of your powers is to embrace them. Because this… This is who you are."_

 _When she at last reached out her hand to offer it to Emma for her to take, the younger woman asked her fearfully, "What are you doing?"_

 _The Queen smiled at Emma while she strongly responded, "It's time to stop being afraid."_

 _"But this could kill you," the Savior uttered._

 _"I'll take that risk if you will," Elsa bravely answered her once again._

 _Finally, Emma gently reached out so she could take Elsa's hand into her own and all of a sudden, a bright white glow from within the Savior emanated a wave of magic that surrounded them, as she finally felt herself regain control of her powers at last. And when she did, she began to cry in relief as tears of joy spilled down her cheeks, while Elsa then embraced the woman who had come to be a dear friend in this new world._

Emma then whispered, "Thank you… Elsa."

Elsa smiled while she continued to embrace her and replied, "You're welcome. But your strength has been in you the whole time. You just needed to remember."

Back outside…

 _Gold stood by and watched the lights flickering throughout the mansion with his back to the pirate, as he waited for the Sorcerer's hat to consume the Savior and her magic. Killian also watched on in fear, yet he continued to struggle within his bonds while the hose remained firmly wrapped around his body. However, the lights within suddenly faded as the room within the mansion where the Dark One had laid the hat became dark, and he knew in that moment he had failed._

 _"No," the villain grumbled out of bitter disappointment._

 _"Well… I'm guessing she didn't go through with it," Hook spoke out again from behind his enemy after he laughed aloud in relief. "So sorry."_

 _And when the Crocodile turned around, as the Captain saw the disappointment on his face, Killian smiled while he continued smugly, "Oh… but I do love the look of loss on your face."_

 _The pirate laughed again at his enemy's misfortune, as Gold turned back around to stare up at the mansion and responded, "I may not have the Savior, pirate. But I assure you… today won't be a complete loss. I need to fill that hat with power… yes, but that was only part of the equation. Because I need something else. A secret ingredient."_

 _"One I didn't know about… until an associate clued me in," the Dark One sinisterly added when he faced Killian once again. "A heart."_

 _"Well, if you need my help procuring it… know the only help I give you is with your demise," Hook snidely retorted while he glared at the villain._

 _Gold answered him darkly, "Oh… you're gonna help me all right."_

 _Yet Hook only uttered mockingly in disbelief, "Ah…"_

 _"You see… this spell is gonna finally separate me from the dagger, so it no longer holds power over me," the villain continued to explain while they both kept their eyes firmly on one another, as the feeling of real fear slowly arose within Killian once he started to realize what his enemy was about to do. "But to cast it… I need the heart of someone special. Someone who knew me before the dagger… Before I was the Dark One. Unfortunately, everyone who fits that description is already dead, but one still lives."_

 _"No," Hook fearfully cried, as he began to fight harder and harder to free himself while the Crocodile slowly approached him, still to no avail. "No!"_

 _Once Gold was standing inches away from the pirate Captain, he reached out his hand as he taunted smugly, "Yes. As luck would have it, dearie… you're my oldest friend."_

 _And then, without further hesitation, the Dark One swiftly thrust his hand inside Killian's chest and grabbed a tight hold of his heart before he forcefully ripped it out, causing the pirate to scream out in sheer anguish worse than any he had ever felt before. And while the Captain struggled to breathe through his pain, Gold stared down at the glowing red and still beating organ within the palm of his hand with utter delight because of the power he now held over his enemy, even stronger than the power he held over him before when all they had was a deal between them, which Hook had broken the moment he had appeared to try to stop him from destroying Emma._

 _At last, as he expected the villain had stolen his heart only to crush it, the weakened man looked up into Gold's eyes while he spoke angrily saying, "Get on with it then. Just do it."_

 _"Oh, no…" the Dark One cruelly replied to him with great pleasure, as he looked darkly into Hook's eyes as well. "I promised you we'd have some fun first. You're gonna do everything I say because you're my puppet now. You're gonna find another way to fill that hat with the power it needs. And then… Then I'll kill you."_

"Just… just let me go," Killian weakly responded again in defeat. "You have what you wanted. At least allow me to make sure Emma's alright."

He then looked over at the dark haired young woman still lying unconscious on the ground several feet away from them while he added pleadingly, "Ruby too. Please…"

Gold looked down at her as well and finally relented, as he at last released the pirate Captain from his bonds, then let Killian rush past him so he could go to Little Red Riding Hood to see that she was fine just like the villain had assured him she would be, but while Hook was trying to wake her, Gold said to him again, "When she wakes, she'll want to know what's happened and she'll believe I am responsible for everything. Which I am, of course. However, I need you to say or do whatever you have to, to convince her what she saw and heard before I knocked her unconscious, was a simple… misunderstanding. I want you to convince her that I was only trying to help. She can't know that I was responsible for putting the Savior in that position. That I was trying to harm her, or you."

"She'll never buy it," the pirate sternly retorted, as he turned his upper body so he could glare up at the man still standing before him. "She saw and heard enough."

"You have been deceiving Miss Swan all this time about your own role in this mess you've created for yourself, pirate," the Dark One snidely answered him, then raised his heart up in front of his face and began to squeeze, causing Killian to moan again in pain. "I know how good of a liar you can be when you wish to be. So do it. Because I order you to."

Hook simply nodded, until Gold at last let up so he could breathe normally again, but then he quickly added, "Oh… a few more demands. You're obviously not to tell Miss Swan, or anyone else about any of this either. I should think you were smart enough to know that, but a word of warning just to be sure. You're to go on as if nothing's wrong, outside of your worry for the woman you love. And lastly, once you see to the Savior and discover she's just fine, you're to slip away from her and the others who are no doubt coming to find her as we speak, so you can collect the box containing the hat which is still in there. Inside the library. Then, you will bring it back to me at my shop. Do you understand?"

Killian continued to glare up at him as he despondently replied, "Aye. I understand."

Upon their agreement, the villain smiled and then raised his hand as he suddenly vanished from before him within his red cloud of smoke before Ruby awoke, or Emma walked outside to find him still there. Once he disappeared, Hook then turned back to Ruby and continued to help bring her around, when she at last began to come to.

"Hey… it's all right," he whispered worryingly as she weakly opened her eyes and struggled to look up at him, until she sat up again with his help. "You're alright. You had a pretty nasty fall, but you'll be fine."

"What happened?" she asked while she continued to look at him. "I could have sworn I saw… Gold. He was here. And he had you bound to the… gates. Are you okay? What did he do?"

As much as he hated having to lie to her, he also had no choice now because it had been demanded of him to, so Hook helped her to stand again when he extended his hook down to her for her take hold of while he responded, "Nothing. I assure you, I'm fine. Gold was actually protecting me. Emma's powers were out of control and I was about to rush inside this place without caring about any risk to myself. I wasn't listening to reason, so he did what he had to until I calmed down. Apparently, he came here to help Emma too, but he believed he had come too late. However, it looks like Emma's found her control again somehow. So, come on… I have to make sure she's really okay."

She looked at him with confusion as she questioned again, "Wait… what happened to me? How did I wind up on the ground unconscious then? I swear he knocked me out."

"I think… he might have been worried you would rush in like I had been about to do as well and he didn't have the time to explain everything all over again," Killian lied to her once more. "That was a mistake and he was sorry. He just couldn't stay long enough to make sure you were okay because something urgent came up back in town."

"Is that…?" he then started to ask in surprise, when he finally noticed his vest as Ruby quickly bent down to pick it up from the ground where she had dropped it upon being rendered unconscious.

Ruby glanced down at it until she handed it back to him and answered quickly, "I only borrowed it so I could find you. With my nose that is. I thought… I thought that you were in trouble. Archie told us you had said something pretty strange to him, and you've been acting strangely for days. Are you sure you're alright, Killian? Because you look terrible. At the very least, we all know you're exhausted from lack of sleep."

Hook looked down at his hook again while he deceptively whispered, "I'm fine. Or I will be… once I make sure Emma is too. Please… let's go."

A few minutes later, inside the Sorcerer's mansion once again…

 _"Swan!" Killian called out again in relief, when he at last found the woman he loved inside of the room adjacent to the library still closed off to them and saw she was safe, then immediately ran to her so he could embrace her, while Ruby followed behind him. "Are you alright?"_

 _"She didn't do it," Elsa happily replied for Emma, who simply embraced Killian back and held him tightly, feeling her own relief upon actually seeing that he was okay with her own eyes. "She didn't take away her magic."_

 _While Killian continued to hold her, the Savior responded, "Wow… I've never seen people so happy about me not doing something."_

 _He finally let up a little so he could look at her again as he answered worryingly, "We'll find another way to defeat the Snow Queen… Together."_

 _"Mmm… mmm…" she then mumbled, when Killian suddenly leaned in to kiss her passionately and deeply before she pulled back seconds later despite loving how happy and relieved he was to see her so she could look up into his eyes, as Elsa moved away to stand back with Ruby to give the lovers their moment alone. "Easy, tiger… We've got company. I didn't know you were such a fan of my magic."_

 _"Why would you say that, Swan?" he then asked her as he smiled down on her. "I'm a fan of every part of you."_

However, it was in that moment she began to sense something was wrong with him the longer she looked into his eyes, as she strangely could see that he was wearing a mask in place to try to hide whatever was really troubling him. And while a part of her suspected it maybe had something to do with all that's been bothering him since the night of their date, or possibly that he was just worried about her, it never crossed her mind that he was now heartless because the Dark One had ripped it from his chest.

 _Emma continued to look into his eyes while she asked worryingly, "Are you alright?"_

 _Hook apprehensively replied, "Of course, love. Why?"_

 _"If you look at me any harder, you're gonna drill a hole in my head," the Savior responded out of her own concern for him, while she studied his features and continued to see the pain behind his eyes he was trying so hard to keep hidden from her._

 _"I'm just relieved," Killian swiftly answered her again, as her superpower told her he was telling the truth despite her belief there was more to the truth, then finally Killian pulled further away so he could walk alongside her as they both smiled at one another, until he stopped and lingered back once he urged her forward. "You should go outside. I have a feeling there are a lot of worried people who will be glad to see you."_

 _Emma, Ruby, and Elsa walked past him and left the room so they could leave the mansion at last, not knowing yet who all would be waiting for them outside upon hearing from Hook that their friends and Emma's family had been on their way to come find her. And unfortunately, her two friends then distracted her just enough, that the Savior hadn't noticed Killian wasn't following behind them._

Hook watched them walk away from him sadly, until he suddenly felt a pain rise in his chest as Gold then spoke to him through his heart saying, "The hat… Captain. Get it now. Then come to me at my shop."

He weakly gasped upon feeling the Dark One begin to squeeze, until he finally let up on him when Killian replied, "All right… I'll get it."

"Very good," the Crocodile cruelly stated.

Killian then turned towards the library and walked to its doors to open them. And once he did, he stared down at the round shaped box the hat had once more become after the magical vortex from within it faded when Emma failed to go through with her decision, and slowly walked forward again until he stood above it.

Every part of him wanted to go outside to join with Emma, her family, and their friends to celebrate the woman he loved being okay again. However, Killian couldn't fight against the villain's demands, as he felt compelled to obey with every fiber of his being. So, he finally bent down to pick up the box and tucked it carefully under his arm within his coat, then turned to walk out of the mansion through another door leading out to the back so he wouldn't risk being seen by Emma or the others.

Meanwhile, inside the Snow Queen's lair…

Ingrid remained captive inside of the magical circle that the Dark One had cast around her with the remains of the urn she and Elsa both had once been trapped within until they were finally set free. And while she had been unable to anything more to help protect Emma from Gold's deception, she watched her soon to become sister through her mirror and was pleased that Elsa had come to save her when she couldn't, while they both became even closer to one another like she hoped they would.

At last, the magic that remained of the urn faded away and the Snow Queen became free once more. When she stepped out of the confines that had been the circle, she walked over to her bed and sat down above the long wooden box which contained hers and her sisters' three yellow ribbons. She waved her hand over them as they swiftly vanished, until Ingrid raised her arm up in front of her to reveal one of them had reappeared upon her wrist, and the others… exactly where they now truly belonged.

"It's finally time, dear sisters," she then whispered, as she laid her head down over the smoothness of the material the ribbons had been spun from and smiled. "Soon, we will be united like we were always meant to be."


	37. Chapter 37

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Outside of the mansion…

 _Emma, Elsa, and Ruby walked out onto the landing and steps leading up to the mansion's porch, as the Savior immediately began to look around for her parents, her son, or any of her friends, just when_ _Mary Margaret and her father suddenly appeared from another way up, then ran over to embrace her while her mother cried, "Emma! Did you do it?"_

 _As she embraced her parents back just as firmly, while they continued to hold her against them, the Savior happily answered her, "Oh… I didn't. Thanks to Elsa."_

 _"I'm so, so glad," her mother responded out of relief, until she finally released her daughter so they could look at her as well as their friends, while David reached out to lay a hand gently over Elsa's shoulder and smiled at her by way of thanking her for all she had done for Emma._

 _"Just… Please don't change," the older Princess said again while she continued to hold her daughter's hands in her own._

 _The Savior shook her head as she smiled and replied, "I don't want to."_

 _David tenderly caressed Emma's cheek while he added, "We love you, no matter what."_

 _"I know," she whispered, then looked around her and saw Regina with her parents, but not her son like she hoped he'd be there for her too._

"Where's Henry?" Emma then asked the Mayor worryingly, as she turned to look at her friend. "Is he okay?"

Regina smiled and nodded while she answered, "Henry's fine. Right now, he's with Robin, working on a special project… a new operation, which I'll explain to you all about later once we get back into town and you get settled in at home. I wanted to make sure Henry stayed safe, in case the Snow Queen made an appearance."

The Savior sighed, then responded, "The Snow Queen did actually. To me, anyways. But I can explain it all later. I just want to get home. I want to see my son and Killian. I want to spend time with my loved ones."

 _"So, your magic… Are you in control of it again?" Emma's mother worryingly asked her again when she looked down at her daughter's hands._

 _"Absolutely," Emma happily exclaimed, then turned around and raised her head into the air while she summoned her powers within her to her palms, before suddenly releasing a pulse of light magic into the night sky to make fireworks of pink and blue appear above them, in order to show them just how in control of her magic she was once again at last._

Everyone smiled up as they watched them burst before their eyes, then Ruby finally whispered, "This is amazing, Emma."

The girl who was part wolf looked over at her friend as she smiled, until she glanced down at Emma's left wrist and noticed the yellow ribbon now tied around it, then upon picking up a strange sense from it, she asked in concern, "Emma… when did you get that yellow ribbon you're wearing? I don't recall ever seeing it before."

 _"I don't know," the Savior worryingly replied as she looked down and saw the ribbon tied to her wrist too, then began to struggle to pull it off, but to no avail._

 _"Emma… what's happening?" Elsa asked her fearfully upon seeing the same yellow ribbon tied around her own wrist as well, and also struggled to pull it off. "It won't come off."_

 _The younger woman continued to pull as she glanced over at Elsa and saw her doing the same, then began to gasp painfully while she answered, "Mine won't, either. Aah!"_

 _Elsa also let out a quiet gasp upon feeling the same pain as Emma did, then she weakly responded, "I feel it too. It's like it's funneling all my magic away. Like it's… harnessing it somehow."_

 _"Any idea what this is?" David questioned his daughter and their friend out of worry._

 _When the pain within both women finally seemed to fade away, the Savior then turned to look between her loved ones standing around her while she austerely replied, "No. But I have a pretty good idea where it came from."_

Meanwhile…

After Gold had left Hook alone outside of the Sorcerer's mansion to do as he commanded him to do now that he was in possession of the pirate's heart, he reappeared outside of the Snow Queen's lair again, like he'd done several times in order to confront the villainess with whom he had a very brief alliance with until he was the first to betray her. However, his plans for the Savior had somehow been thwarted, and the Dark One believed Ingrid was behind Emma's change of mind. So, he returned to confront her once more.

 _When he appeared again behind her, Ingrid turned around to face him and then she said callously, "_ _You look disappointed."_

 _Gold glared back at her while he answered crossly, "Miss Swan did not behave as I had hoped. Did you have a hand in it?"_

 _"Of course not," the villainess sardonically responded to him with a laugh, as she raised her hands up to show him they were empty, and still at her sides. "My hands were trapped here the entire time. Although… as you said, the urn dust didn't last long at all."_

 _"I'd keep my distance if I were you," he warned, once she took a few steps towards him until she stopped upon his words._

 _The Snow Queen sneered at him coldly as she replied, "You really don't understand what's happening, do you? I wasn't the one who saved Emma. Elsa was. They really are quite wonderful together… Like sisters."_

 _The Dark One answered her darkly, "Your strange fixation really holds no interest for me."_

 _"Oh… but it should," she retorted back, and raised her arm out to him to reveal the yellow ribbon tied around her left wrist. "And it will. You see… these ribbons were of no use to me until this moment. They can bond three magical sisters together, but only if all of us are a perfect match."_

 _"And what makes for this perfect match?" Gold asked her._

 _She kept her eyes firmly on the villain before her until her ribbon suddenly began to glow, while Ingrid maliciously responded, "When all three have embraced their powers, which we now have. Thanks to you. Now I wield the magic of my three sisters. Now my mirror is complete. And with this power, I can finally cast my spell over all of Storybrooke. I could probably even defeat you and decorate this place with your bones. Shall I try?"_

 _When the Snow Queen laid her hand down over his chest once she drew herself closer to him until they were barely an inch apart, the Dark One growled, "Dearie… I warn you. Do not overestimate your power."_

 _"And I warn you… Don't underestimate it." Ingrid angrily replied to him in return, as Gold turned again to leave her lair._

 _Once he was gone, the villainess turned to face her mirror, then raised her left arm as she began to harness both Emma's and Elsa's powers gleaming from the other two ribbons around their own wrists. And then, she wielded their powers together, swiftly igniting it against her mirror, while the glass within suddenly shattered as she cast the Spell of Shattered Sight at last._


	38. Chapter 38

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Elsewhere…

While the two villains and the rest of the heroes were all busy trying to win in their efforts, Robin and Henry had begun their search for information about the author of Henry's storybook, starting with talking to Will Scarlet, whom they believed was still a prisoner inside one of the cells inside the sheriff's station. However, when they arrived as they walked into the main room, they were surprised to find the cell door was wide open and that the young thief was gone.

Henry walked towards the cell and closed its door while he uttered in frustration, "It looks like your friend managed to escape."

Robin sighed, then he replied, "Will is an expert thief and lock picker. I can't say I'm surprised. But… luckily for us, I'm an expert tracker. Which means, I can find him. And I have a few ideas where he might be."

"Are you sure we really have to talk to him?" the teenager questionably asked his friend when he turned his head to look over at the archer.

"I told you… Will's good with gathering information and he knows more than he likes to tell anyone," the older man answered him. "Trust me. He'll have a few ideas that will help us."

Emma's son nodded, but then an idea dawned on him and he responded, "Why don't we just begin in the library? I can't believe I didn't think about this before. Your friend was apprehended for breaking and entering inside the library to find a book. What if we did the same thing? Not… not the breaking and entering part. The library's still open. But I mean we can go to see if we can find any kind of clues in there. The storybook is magical and so is the library. It's helped me out a lot over the years. Belle too, as well as a number of others. If there's any information about the Author… it has to be there."

However, before they could turn to leave, Grumpy walked into the station and then grumbled, "Before you do that… whatever it is you're doing, archer… I suggest you head down to the beach. One of your men are digging up deep holes all over the place trying to find something he buried. That thief Emma and David were trying to find the other day out in the woods. Me and Happy tried to reason with him to get him to quit it, but he isn't exactly sober enough to be in a listening mood."

"I'll take care of it, Leroy," Robin replied to him. "Thank you."

"I guess we're going to find your friend first after all," Henry then said again once the dwarf left the room.

The archer patted his arm and motioned for him to walk on ahead him, then followed behind him as he answered, "I believe I've mentioned Will's still not exactly my friend."

The twelve year old called back to him, "And why exactly is that?"

"Let's just say, he didn't exactly make such a good thief, as far as being a good man was concerned," Robin responded again in frustration, while he and Henry continued to make their way down to the beach. "Rather than give the money back to those who needed it, he kept most of his thefts for himself. There's more. But the rest is really complicated."

"I'm here to listen whenever you're ready to talk about it," the teenager replied.

"Well, it all started…" his friend began to explain, and continued to do so as they made their way to where they at last found Will digging holes in the sand and madly throwing it up everywhere just like Grumpy had said he was, to find whatever it was he was looking for.

While Henry then stood back once they reached him, the archer approached the hole where the thief was sitting in and questioned him, "So… exactly what is it you're looking for that's so important to you? And if it is so important, why didn't you take better care of it?"

Will looked up when he heard someone speaking to him and looked at the leader of the merry men in surprise, then stated, "Robin… well, this is a surprise. I mean… I figured we run into each other eventually, but… What are you doing here?"

"To stop you from digging up these holes and creating a mess," Robin sternly answered him. "What about you, Will?"

"I'm looking for a map… a map I need," the thief frustratingly responded. "The only trouble is, that when I buried what I was hoping my map would lead me to, I also buried me map along with it. A map which I made to help remind me of where the rest was buried. I was a bit sozzled, you see."

Henry stepped forward as he uttered, "Sozzled?"

Robin looked over at the boy as he replied, "He means drunk. Just like he is now. Will likes his ale, about as much as a pirate likes his rum. Only… he's not so in control of it like Killian is. And Will doesn't care."

"Look… I ain't hurting no one," Will finally said again in frustration, as he struggled to climb out of his hole. "So, if you can pretend like you didn't see me here, I'll go and forget all about me sack until I sober up. What do you say?"

"You broke out of jail, Will," the man who once led him snidely answered him. "Which around here is against the law and in this town, the sheriffs are actually my friends. I have to take you back in. However, if you'd be willing to help Henry and me with a little quest of ours, we may just let you slip away from us."

The young thief looked at his old friend as he responded, "If you buy me a pint of ale down at the Rabbit Hole, I'll do whatever it is you like."

And then, Robin smiled as he spoke again saying, "Afterwards. I'm afraid we need you sober for your task. And if you actually help us, I'll buy you two."

Will reached out his hand to shake Robin's upon agreeing to their deal, then he finally followed behind the archer and the teenage boy as they made their way back into town towards the library. Upon their arrival, Will attempted to pick the locks in the door to help get them inside, until Henry walked around him and opened the door without needing any tools because it wasn't actually locked, as Robin pointed out the hours posted on the door to him. Finally, he just followed them inside and then together they began their search that would come to be slow going.


	39. Chapter 39

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Upon discovering the ribbons around hers and Elsa's wrists, Emma felt she needed to find and confront the Snow Queen now that she was once again in control of her powers, so she could stop her from casting the spell she knew was to come. However, there were things she needed to do that were more urgent, starting with finding her son so she could embrace him again and to assure him she was okay, as well as to find where Killian had slipped off to so she could talk to him now that she remembered the things Ingrid told her she's done to hurt him.

So, she split up from her parents and Regina as she quickly made her way back to her yellow bug, followed closely by Ruby and Elsa. However, when Emma began to sit down in the driver's seat, while Ruby sat down in the passengers' seat after Elsa climbed into the back, the dark haired woman quickly stopped Emma as she reached over to pick up the cell phone her friend left behind when she had gotten out earlier before she could sit on it, then handed it over to her once the Savior finally climbed in to sit behind the wheel.

Emma quickly thanked her as she looked down at her phone's screen, then upon seeing Killian's name appear on it upon discovering he had tried calling her a number of times, as well as left her two messages, she said to them despondently, "Killian left me messages while I was dealing with my own problems. I should have answered his calls. I know he was worried about me. Is he alright? I mean… I sensed something more was troubling him back there, but is he…"

Ruby looked over at her while she responded worryingly, "There's definitely something more going on with him, Emma. He just wouldn't say what it is because he's been far too worried about you to care about himself. And I'm worried that Gold is behind whatever's troubling him too. Killian denied it of course, but they had a confrontation earlier when I first ran up to this place and found him. I knew something was wrong with him back at your parents' loft and so I came out after him to try to help him. But… when I found Killian here after he came out looking for you, Gold had him bound to the gates with a water hose and Hook was shouting at him to stop… whatever it was he was doing. I was knocked unconscious seconds later and when I came to, Hook once again denied everything. He was covering for Gold. I knew something bad was happening between them."

"Damn it!" the Savior cursed to herself under her breath in frustration for not pushing Killian to talk more when she had seen him just after Elsa had saved her from getting rid of her magic. "I knew he was in trouble. I should have pressed him to talk to me."

" _Emma… it's Killian,_ " she then heard in his voice once she played the first voicemail he had left for her, and pushed the speaker so Ruby and Elsa could hear his messages as well. " _Call me right away, or you may never make it home for cinnamon and cocoa… Ever._ "

Once the first message finished, Emma worryingly pulled up the second one he had left her and played it as well, when his voice came through the speaker again while Killian spoke up more brusquely saying, " _Swan... it's Killian again. You have to listen to me. I know that you've been to see Gold. I saw what you did. And if he's promised to get rid of your powers, don't listen to him. He doesn't want to help you. He wants... He wants to collect your powers in a bloody magic hat. And when he does, you'll be sucked in too. I… I don't know what he's planning, but I know that he's been lying to Belle. The dagger he gave her is a fake._ "

And then, he seemed to freeze for a moment until Emma sensed that he had gathered as much strength within himself as he could muster, before he sorrowfully continued, " _I only know all this because… Because I'm afraid I've been lying to you too. Gold blackmailed me into helping him. He knew. He knew I'd do whatever it takes to be with you, and he used it against me. I just wanted to be a better man for you, Swan. But I failed. And now because of it, I might lose you. I'm sorry. But I hope you never forgive me because that means that you'll get this in time to save yourself. Goodbye._ "

"No…" the Savior fearfully whispered once his second message ended as well, while she lowered her phone and stared ahead of her in shock by Killian's words.

"Oh, Emma… I'm so sorry," Elsa sadly replied, as she and Ruby both reached out their hands to lay them on their friend's shoulders comfortingly. "Mr. Gold's been using him to hurt you. Poor Hook."

Without raising her head, Emma answered, "He lied to me. Gold… I mean. I knew he was lying about trying to help me, but I didn't listen to my instincts because I was too afraid I would lose control of my magic completely and hurt someone else. Too worried about myself to help Killian when he needed me."

She then placed her key into the car's ignition to start it and began driving back towards town as quickly as she was able to drive safely while she worryingly added, "I need to find Killian. God knows what all that bastard's done to him. This had to have been going on since our date. Back when Killian had gone to Gold to ask him for his hand back. I knew that he was insecure about having only one hand. He told me as much after I convinced him to tell me what was troubling him that night. Killian admitted to me as much as he could, but… I also knew there was more he wasn't telling me. I think he's been so afraid that I wouldn't forgive him, or that I would tell him I couldn't be with him any longer. I'm angry with him for hiding all of this from me, but I still care about him. And of course I forgive him. How could I have been so blind?"

"We'll find him, Emma," Ruby responded to her assuredly when her friend looked over at her from the passengers seat. "I still have his scent from when I used his vest to track him down earlier. Just keep driving until I tell you to stop."

"Thank you," the younger woman replied to her friend in sincerity, and kept driving like she told her to do.

Meanwhile, inside Gold's Pawnshop…

At last, after he had left Emma and the others all behind at the mansion, Killian arrived at the shop in order to return the hat to his enemy very much against his will. When he walked inside, Gold was standing behind the back counter like usual shortly after he himself had returned from confronting the Snow Queen unbeknownst to Killian or anyone else. Upon hearing the bells over his door chime once the Captain entered, the villain looked up at his enemy and smiled cruelly when he saw the disdain on Hook's face, while Killian glared back at him as he neared him, then pulled the round box out from beneath his jacket to hand it over to him like he had been ordered to do.

The Dark One took it from him and then he stated, "Well done, Captain. I do hope Miss Swan is well?"

Hook glared at him as he retorted coldly, "Don't patronize me. Just get on with whatever else it is you wish for me to do for you, or allow me to return to the diner so I don't have to deal with anything more tonight."

"You certainly look like you could use some sleep, but knowing you for as long as I have, I very much doubt sleep is in the cards for you tonight, dearie," Gold snidely answered him, then used his dagger to once again wave it over the box to conjure back the hat again like all the times he's done so before and stared down at the hat's glow from the amount of magic he has already collected in it thus far, while Killian watched on in contempt.

"The kindly old man's and Zelena's magic has given much power to this hat, but it's still not enough yet," he continued. "In order to cleave myself from the dagger, I need more. The Savior's power would have given me plenty. But then Elsa had to go and ruin my plans. Perhaps I ought to do to her as I've done to the others."

Killian looked at him worryingly as he pleaded, "No… please don't. If you need more power, why not just use that bloody hat on the Snow Queen? She has the same kind of power as Elsa does. Probably more. And she's nothing but a threat to all of us, including you."

The Dark One looked up at the pirate with a smug smile on his face while Hook attempted to convince him not to hurt his friend and smiled, then Gold responded, "The Snow Queen may be quite cross with me for betraying her when I attempted to pull the Savior into this hat before, but then she can't exactly do anything to hurt me. Besides… she has enacted her new curse that will eventually consume Storybrooke and it's actually quite ingenious. I can't say I'm against her plans for this town and the people in it, including Emma. Fortunately for you, you won't be alive long enough to see it."

"What curse?" Killian darkly asked him while he kept his eyes firmly on the villain still standing in front of him. "What's going to happen?"

"That's none of your concern," Gold curtly replied. "Surely you'll find out at the same time as everyone else will. I'm fairly certain the Snow Queen's revealed some of her plans to Miss Swan already. And worry not about Elsa. I won't use her unless I have no other choice. I have a few other ideas on how to gain more power in mind. But they're nothing I need more from you tonight. For tonight… go on back to Granny's and try to get some rest if you can. Or don't. It matters not to me what you do now. So long as you meet me back at the docks at noon tomorrow. Until then, do what you like. Just don't attempt to be clever by trying to give away any of what I've done, or plan to do. You haven't told Emma anything, have you?"

Killian suddenly felt compelled to tell Gold the truth about how he had left Emma the messages he had on her phone because of his enemy's control over him, then much against his will, he answered crossly, "I've already told Emma… that your efforts to help her were nothing… nothing but lies. That you were trying to pull her inside this hat. She knows enough of the truth to know you weren't trying… to help her. Or she will as soon as she hears the messages I left for her on her phone before you ripped out my heart. Which surely she has by now."

The Dark One glared darkly at him, until he turned his head to look down at his bag lying on the counter beside him and reached inside to pull out Killian's heart, then squeezed it to make Hook gasp in anguish once more. It wasn't enough to crush the precious glowing organ, but enough to make his enemy suffer greatly for his defiance and efforts to be clever, as his cruelty caused Killian to suddenly collapse to his knees while he struggled to stifle his cries, let alone breathe.

At last, the Crocodile released his grip around the heart as Killian gasped once more upon feeling the relief from him doing so, then struggled to stand back on his feet while Gold spoke again cruelly saying, "That will be the last time you try to defy me, pirate. There is nothing you can do to stop me. And neither can the Savior. If you try again, it won't be you who will suffer for it, but your friend from Arendelle. Now get out of my sight. Sleep tight, Captain."


	40. Chapter 40

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Forty

Killian walked out of Gold's shop feeling heavily weighed down, as his guilt over being forced to work against the woman he loved and his friends under the Dark One's control over him was killing him inside. The Dark One and the Snow Queen may have had something to do with his sleepless nights before he'd even been foolish enough to go to Gold to ask him for his hand back. However, Killian knew the fault for his aguish and exhaustion was his own. He could hardly blame his enemy because he's always known what kind of man the Crocodile was, despite Gold's efforts to hide the truth of his deceptions from the heroes.

He made his way down the street towards Granny's when he planned to return to his room so he wouldn't have to face Emma or his friends anymore that night. However, once he found himself standing outside of the diner, he stared up at the sign above the door, until he turned and started walking towards the beach instead, despite the chill in the air.

When he arrived, Hook walked along the sand while he allowed the sea to splash over his boots as the waves hit him. Once he realized that his pant legs and boots were soaked through, he backed away from the waters and finally just collapsed on the dry sands several feet away, then began to stare out at the large waves in the distance beneath the horizon barely seen before him through the moonlight.

Killian had become so lost in his thoughts, that he failed to hear Emma calling out to him in the distance, and to hear her whisper his name in worry when she reached him at last, then sat down in the sand in front of him. It wasn't until she reached out to touch his face as she tenderly began to caress his cheek, when he finally saw she was there. But the moment he saw into her concerned eyes, Killian swiftly turned away and lowered his head, then closed his own eyes to avoid looking at her upon feeling ashamed by his actions, which he suspected she knew little of by now like he had told Gold she might. And she was angry with him. But in that moment, she knew he needed her comfort, not anymore guilt. Emma looked at him sadly, then she moved in closer to him and wrapped her arms around him to offer him the comfort he sorely needed, yet he didn't believe he deserved.

"Killian… please look at me," she softly pleaded with him when she pulled back a few minutes later to try to get him to look at her again, as Ruby and Elsa got out of Emma's car and stood back in silence while they watched over their friends from the distance. "I'm not angry with you. Not really. I'm only worried about you. I know the kind of monster Gold is. He's manipulated all of us. Just like he did with me tonight when he tried to trap me. You said it was some kind of magical hat that sucks a person inside it to drain their powers?"

Still without looking at her, he nodded as he whispered, "Aye. I hoped you'd gotten my message. I'm just sorry that it wasn't before the Crocodile lured you to that mansion in the first place. Or that it was in time to save you. Thank the heavens Elsa was there for you when I wasn't. I'm sorry I lied to you, Emma. I didn't want to. I wished I hadn't, but I couldn't tell you the truth before. Not until I thought I was going to lose you to death, or whatever happens to those pulled inside of the bloody hat. Yet because of my cowardice, I almost did. I never meant to put you in danger."

Emma suddenly felt her anger melt away, then laid her hands on both sides of his face while she gently lifted his head so she could get him to look at her, and once he finally opened his eyes to look into hers, as tears came into her own, she answered quietly, "You are not a coward, Killian. I don't know what Gold said or did to get you to do his dirty work for him, but you fought against him when it counted the most. You tried to protect me no matter the risks to yourself and I know you would have, had Gold not gotten in your way when he kept you bound to the gates. Ruby told me what she saw when she first found you there outside of the mansion."

"I couldn't tell her the truth either," Killian replied sadly, as well as honestly because the Dark One had commanded him not to reveal any more of the truth to her or anyone else more than he already had.

"From your message, I know Gold blackmailed you into helping him," the woman he loved worryingly responded, when Killian suddenly felt the Dark One invading his mind upon taking control of his heart once again and ordered him to tell Emma the truth about pulling the Apprentice and Zelena into the hat, knowing she would insist that Hook give her some truthful answers.

He glanced down at his hook again upon feeling the pain that came with being given another command and with being controlled, then he finally answered her again, "Because I was foolish to try to blackmail him first. I knew Gold hadn't changed like everyone else believed he has. I told you why I wanted my hand again, and what I told you the night after our date was true. I asked him for my hook back. I missed it. But in doing so I had been forced to make a deal with him. He threatened to tell you what I had done for him. And now… I helped Gold use that hat before… on others. First, on an old man now living here since your parents' curse had brought Storybrooke and all of them back again. I didn't know who he was. But he clearly had great power and I doubt he deserved what happened to him because of me."

Emma looked down at his hook as well while she questioned, "And the second person you helped him pull into the hat?"

"Zelena," Hook stated plainly. "Surely Regina's discovered her sister's vanished from her cell by now? It's because I pulled her into the hat for the bloody Dark One since he couldn't step foot inside himself. He had a way around the protection spell keeping everyone else out. He even stole the security tapes showing us doing the deeds. I didn't want to help him. I didn't want to hurt the old man, or even Zelena. And I hate myself for doing so. However, I did like Gold wanted because he wouldn't remove my hand if I hadn't. I thought… I couldn't help but fear I would slowly become the villain I used to be if I kept my hand. The villain I still am. The injuries on the thief's face… that was me. I hit him. You sensed something was wrong after I attacked him when he nearly ruined our date… I could feel my hand taking over me. Because it belonged to the man I still was before my hook. But it was all in my head. And I couldn't tell you any of this because… because I was afraid you would hate me if you learned the truth and that we'd be through. That you wouldn't be able to forgive me and I… couldn't handle it. But it's the least I deserve for what I've done."

"I forgive you, Killian," Emma whispered, then gently lifted his head to get him to look at her again once more. "I'll admit… I was upset you've been hiding all of this from me. But not so much because you've been lying to me. It's because I'm worried about you. And I can see how all these secrets have affected you. You're plagued by guilt. You're exhausted because you're not sleeping. You look like you're going to kill over at any moment. Gold forced you against the mansion gates while you believed I was about to be pulled into that hat too and I can only imagine how you must have felt knowing you couldn't protect me. But Killian… I've kept plenty of secrets from you in the past too. And I used to resent you for coming to New York to pull me away from the fake life I had been trapped in. Believe me… I understand why you felt so afraid to tell me the truth. You've shown me how much you love me in everything you've said and done for me. And after living the kind of life you lived, I can't blame you for being afraid to lose me. I promise you… you won't. I'm still here and I still care about you as much as I did before all of this began."

All of a sudden, Gold began to speak through Killian without feeling as he replied unsympathetically, "I don't know what I ever did to deserve you, Swan. The truth is, I don't deserve you. I'm afraid I don't know why the Crocodile wanted to collect your powers, or why he wanted the old man's and the Wicked Witch's powers either. Getting him to tell us his plans will be impossible. But for now… we ought to focus on the Snow Queen. Although, I fear we'll be too late to stop her plans as well."

Emma began to sense the strangeness that had suddenly come over him when he spoke again, so she reached up to touch his cheek again as she asked him, "Are you alright? You're suddenly acting…"

"I'm just tired," the Dark One responded for Hook again. "I'm fine. Though, I fear I will fall asleep out here if we don't end this for tonight so I can return to my room to try to get some sorely needed sleep."

"You're right," the Savior answered when she seemed to accept his explanation for now and helped him stand again, once she stood herself as well. "Everything's going to be all right between us, Killian. I promise. And once we deal with the Snow Queen and defeat her, we can then worry about what Gold's done and deal with him too. Neither villain will get away with what they've done. Especially not to you. I'm so sorry I was too blinded to really notice just how badly you were hurting."

Killian looked down at her almost coldly while Gold replied for him, "There's no need to apologize. You're much too good. You ought to be more careful by who you're willing to forgive. Doing so might cost you something you'll never forgive yourself for losing."

Finally, Gold loosened his control over his enemy's heart and Killian was at last able to speak for himself again when he saw Emma looking up into his eyes worryingly, until he then whispered, "I'm sorry, love. I'm definitely more tired than even I realized I was. I'm not really acting much like myself at the moment. I'm going to head back to my room. I should sleep well tonight now that everything's finally out in the open and my conscience is clear. Goodnight."

"Wait!" the Savior cried out in worry, as she swiftly grabbed his arm to try to pull him back when he turned to walk away from her without kissing her like he's done every night since their return from her parents' past, until the night before because Emma herself hadn't been in her right mind to accept help from those who loved her while she was struggling with being out of control of her powers, then immediately embraced him and held him tightly. "After I lost control of my magic when I pitched you into that car… I was so scared because I hurt you. And that you might have been afraid of me like my parents and everyone else were too. But you weren't. Not ever. You were only afraid for me and I could see it, Killian. In your eyes. I knew your only fear was meant for me. Not because of me. That's why I forgive you. Even if you can't understand why. I know you would give everything for me and never intentionally hurt me. And your deception… it was out of fear you would lose me. It wasn't right, but I understand why you couldn't tell the truth. Your love means more to me than you know. Please… please don't just walk away from me feeling guilty."

"Give her an excuse to leave now, Captain," Hook suddenly heard in his mind when Gold began to speak to him through his heart once again, while Emma continued to hold him. "Or you'll force me to make you do something you will deeply regret. And not just to Miss Swan."

Killian obeyed, as he pulled the woman he loved away from him and leaned in to kiss her lips, then whispered again, "I love you."

And without another word, Killian turned again and suddenly ran away from her, leaving Emma feeling dumbstruck while she remained behind on the beach. When their friend ran by them as he ran past Emma's car, Ruby and Elsa watched him out of worry, then turned back towards Emma and rushed down the beach to join with her again to make sure she and everything between her and Killian were okay.

Elsa looked at her with concern as she asked, "Is Hook alright?"

"Something's still wrong with him," the Savior responded sadly while she stared after Killian even after he was long gone. "Killian isn't acting like himself. Not really. For some reason, Gold has a much stronger hold over him than I realized, and the guilt alone… it's killing him. I have to confront the Crocodile."

"Then, I'm coming with you," Ruby firmly answered her, while Elsa nodded her head showing she was coming too. "I knew that monster was behind this. Hook may have denied Gold had done something to him earlier, but I knew he was covering up for him. It looks like the Dark One is still very much the Dark One."

The Queen of Arendelle sighed, then she replied, "And I thought he was helping us."

Emma started walking to her car while she responded, "We've all made that mistake."


	41. Chapter 41

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Forty-One

Emma drove herself, Ruby, and Elsa back into town towards Gold's Pawnshop once they left the beach in order to confront the villain. They arrived a few minutes later, just as Gold was leaving to return home to his wife for the night. When he saw Emma and the other women drive up and then pull over, Gold waited for them in front of his own car and sat on its hood, waiting for the confrontation he now couldn't avoid short of simply vanishing from before them. But instead he stayed knowing Emma wouldn't back down until she heard what she wanted to hear.

Immediately as Emma got up out of the yellow bug, followed closely by the two women with her, the Dark One spoke first as though he was unaware he'd done anything wrong saying snidely, "Miss Swan… it's good to see all has worked out and that you're well again. But it's late and my shop is closed for the night. Right now, I would really like to return home to my wife."

Emma slammed the door of her car closed, then started walking towards him in anger as she brusquely called out, "Don't pretend like nothing's wrong, Crocodile. Hook was right to give you that moniker. Because that's exactly what you are… a crocodile. I know what you've done."

"I'm afraid you'll have to be a bit more specific," he haughtily replied to her with a smug grin on his face, while the women continued to approach him until Emma and the others were standing only a few feet in front of him.

"Don't pretend to play innocent," the Savior retorted again. "Everything you said tonight when you pretended to want to help me was a lie. You only wanted to steal my magic by pulling me into some magical hat. I also know you've done something to Hook. I don't necessarily care that you deceived me right now. But I do care about him and that you hurt him. You used his feelings for me against him. Just what the hell did you do to him?! What did you say to make him feel so insecure, that he felt needed his hand you cut off all those years ago? Is that how long all of this has been going on? Since the night of our date?!"

The Dark One sneered, "Actually… that was all thanks to the Snow Queen and her magic mirror, which I'm pretty sure you're already aware of. You see… she's been helping me, even without realizing she was. The darkness Hook saw in himself the night he looked into her mirror... that was what drew him to me. He told me he wished to be able to hold you with both hands like he believed you would want from any man. I was only too happy to oblige him."

Emma glared at him darkly as she responded, "Yeah… for a heavy price that he's suffering from. I don't care about him having a hook for a hand, or just one hand. I'm not like any woman and he's not any man. He loves me. And you reinforced the pain that the Snow Queen made him feel, then when he tried to make things right, you forced him to hurt people."

"You forced him to do those things, Miss Swan…" he cruelly answered once he stood straight again. "Not me. By making him so blindly in love with you like some puppy dog, that he would become desperate enough to do anything so he would never lose you. It just goes to show you that Hook isn't as much of a hero as you thought he was. Is he?"

"You son of a…!" she angrily snapped and started to lunge towards the villain, until Ruby and Elsa grabbed her by her arms to hold her back. "Hook is a hero. In my eyes and in everyone else's, even if he can't see it himself. But I'll remind him. Whatever alliance you had with him… it's over. I'll protect him from you. And if you try to hurt him again… I swear to you, I will make you regret it one way or another. Do you hear me?"

Gold kept his smug grin in place knowing that Emma still didn't have any idea Killian's heart was now in his possession, and that he had no intention to ease up on her pirate, then he replied, "I'll heed your threat, Savior. But you may wish to talk to the Captain about letting his blind love for you get in the way of him trying harder to become the hero he will never be. He's a villainous pirate and he always will be. Just ask anyone he's ever crossed paths with before Hook ever met you. He's murdered and wounded hundreds of innocent people, pillaged and plundered countless villages for their riches and treasures, destroyed kingdoms… all for greed and his revenge against me. Take it from being a villain myself for almost as long as he has been… Once a villain, always a villain."

Ruby glared at him as she said firmly, "You've never seemed to have trouble believing Regina isn't a villain any longer. You're wrong about Hook. And if you hurt him again, it won't just be Emma you'll have to deal with. But me too, and everyone else in this town, including your own wife. She will back us up. Not you. Especially if she were to learn about what you've done to someone she also cares about."

"I'd be very careful, dearie," the Dark One coldly responded to the dark haired woman still standing by Emma's side. "It's not ever a good idea to threaten the Dark One."

"She isn't alone," Elsa stated as well, then together, she, Emma, and Red all turned away to return to Emma's car so they could leave before this conversation could turn uglier than it had already become, while the true villain stood back and watched them until they drove away at last.

Finally, he turned so he could walk around the hood of his own car and sat down in the driver's side once he opened the door to get inside, then began to drive home so he could see his own love. Little Red Riding Hood's threat about telling Belle the truth of what he'd done to Hook made him angry. Yet the Savior's and the others' anger towards him also amused him because he believed he would be able to beat anything should they try to do anything to stop him in his plans ahead for the pirate still under his complete control.

The next morning…

Emma walked alongside Elsa, Henry, David, and Mary Margaret who was pushing Neal in his stroller in front of her, as they all made their way from the loft down to Granny's after she had spent the hour since she awoke from an unfit night's sleep talking to her parents about Killian, Gold, and all that she knew about what the Dark One had done to the man who loved her, and whom she cared about just as much in return, even if she couldn't yet admit to herself or anyone else that she might even love him too. Especially not to him out of fear of her feelings for him changing everything about their relationship, when anything tragic could happen to either one of them more than things already had.

However, when they all entered the diner, Ruby stepped out from behind the bar where she had been busy helping her grandmother set up for the breakfast rush coming soon, and she looked at her friend sadly as she said, "I'm afraid he's not here, Emma. Hook… He left early this morning. Granny saw him leave through the back door as she was opening. If you'd like, I can try to track him for you?"

Emma shook her head as she answered regretfully, "No. Thank you, but as much as I need to know he's alright, I know I can't keep such a tight leash on him. God… now I'm starting to sound like Gold."

"I'm not sure I follow," David replied in confusion, not understanding the reference that his daughter was referring to.

"Last night when we confronted that monster, Gold called Killian a puppy dog… like Killian follows me around everywhere I go and does whatever I ask him to without question because he's so blindly in love with me," the Savior responded again out of anger when she thought about the villain's words to her. "It's ridiculous."

Regina then walked into the diner with Robin, and came over to join the others at their booth where they all sat by the large window in the front of the room by pulling up chairs from another table so they could sit with them, while Ruby remained standing by so she and Granny could take their orders for breakfast, as Mary Margaret continued to talk as she answered her daughter, "Of course what Gold said to you is ridiculous. I mean… it's obvious Killian loves you, Emma. But he's never afraid to tell you when you're about to do something crazy, or stupid and he still leads his own life here like everyone else."

Once Granny walked away upon taking their orders while Red left to go help her, the former Evil Queen looked between her stepdaughter and the Savior as she questioned, "Is something going on with Hook and Gold? I noticed the pirate's not here."

"Unfortunately so," Elsa worryingly replied as she turned to her friend. "Gold's blackmailed Hook into helping him do some things for him, which Hook is very ashamed of doing. All because that vile man used his love for Emma against him."

"Things like what?" Robin asked in concern for his friend. "Is he alright? Other than the guilt that must be plaguing him, I mean."

Emma shrugged upon being unable to really answer the archer about Killian being alright for sure, then she turned to look over at Regina and responded sternly, "Look… I'm going to tell you this because we need to try to find a way to help them. And because Elsa and I also need your help with trying to remove these ribbons from around our wrists. But you can't get upset or angry with Hook. He doesn't need you to pile onto the guilt he's already feeling for doing the things he's done for Gold. There's more going on between them and Killian's hurting more than we know. I can't have you making it worse. All right?"

Regina looked at Emma in confusion as the younger woman glanced down at the yellow ribbon around her wrist once she spoke of them again, then she nodded and finally stated, "All right. Of course not. What's going on?"

"Gold forced Killian to help him pull both Zelena and someone else we don't know, into some magical hat he's in possession of so he could steal their powers," the Savior despondently answered her. "That's why your sister seemed to have escaped from her cell, and why she hasn't made an appearance yet to attack any of us. Gold wanted vengeance against Zelena upon learning she survived his first attack. And he knew he couldn't get near her himself, so he blackmailed Hook into helping him. And what's worse… Gold nearly succeeded in using the hat last night on me too."

"That's how Gold claimed he was going to help you to get rid of your magic?" Henry replied upon piecing together what his mother was telling them. "He was going to pull you inside of it like he did with Zelena and this other person."

Emma sighed worryingly as Ruby and Granny returned again with their food and at last sat down at the closest table to join them as well, then once everyone thanked the women, the Savior continued, "I don't blame Killian for what he's done. Please… don't make him feel any worse than he already does when you see him again. You can't blame him. He's explained as much as he could last night and I believe him."

Regina looked at her friend as she responded in understanding, "Believe me… if there's anyone who understands being manipulated by the Dark One, it's me. Because I absolutely do understand. I can't blame Hook for doing whatever's he's done, especially if Gold threatened you to make him do these things."

"Thank you, Regina," Emma sincerely answered her, just as Killian walked inside the diner again and then quietly came over to join the woman he loved as she immediately pushed in closer towards her father in order to make room for him in the booth too.

"Are you alright?" she softly asked him in concern when she turned her head to look into his eyes like she had done the night before, and tenderly reached up to caress his cheek.

Killian nodded, then whispered, "I simply went out for a walk to try to clear my head. I assure you, I'm fine, love. We can talk more later if you wish. Though, I'm not sure there's anything more I can really tell you. But for now… let's just enjoy breakfast with everyone here and now."

The Savior smiled at him sadly as she replied, "Of course."

Over the next couple of hours, friends, family, and heroes all enjoyed each other's company while they ate breakfast together and talked, not knowing yet about the curse that was about to hit Storybrooke. Killian mostly remained quiet as he listened to the conversations going on around him, while Emma continued to hold his hand beneath the table by way of offering him comfort, for which he was truly grateful for.

Meanwhile…

 _Somewhere within the middle of the woods not far away from her lair, the Snow Queen stood and watched on while her curse began to fill the sky high above her in the form of a purple cloud filled with glass shards from her magic mirror. However, Ingrid didn't remain alone for long once Gold walked up from behind her and stood by the villainess' side to watch along with her._

 _"_ _Well done, dearie," the Dark One chided, as the wind whistled around them while the smoke cloud grew larger. "It appears you've won."_

 _"That's big of you," she coldly responded to him without turning her head to look over at the other villain. "A welcome change. You're usually so confrontational."_

 _Gold turned his head towards her as he answered, "I prefer reasonable. I'd like to make a deal."_

 _Ingrid at last looked at him as well, while she replied coldly, "You have nothing that I want."_

 _"Well… perhaps I do," he snidely responded once again. "This spell of yours, when it hits… In a few hours from now?"_

 _"Sundown," she plainly answered him._

 _The Dark One nodded and replied, "Sundown. Yeah. It'll bring out the darkness in everyone in this town."_

 _The Snow Queen chuckled, then she responded again, "It'll do more than that. They will tear themselves apart until everyone is dead."_

 _"Not everyone," Gold corrected her. "You'll have what you want… You alone with your 'sisters', Elsa and Emma doing who knows what."_

 _"And I'll be here too, spending every waking moment of my immortal life trying to rip your heart out," the villain then cruelly continued, when he turned his body to face hers so they were looking into one another's eyes._

 _At last, Ingrid understood his threat and so she spoke again inquisitively saying, "It seems you do have something to offer. What do you want?"_

 _He turned again to face the coming curse while he simply answered, "To leave."_

 _"Didn't we already make this deal?" she strangely questioned him in confusion, as she turned to face outwards as well._

 _"Yes, but I have an eye for a loophole, and I think I've spotted yours," the Dark One snidely replied to her once more, glancing over at her every few words he spoke. "My wife and grandson will be destroyed by this spell, so I want you to allow them to leave with me. You spare the two of them, I spare you misery. Do we have a deal?"_

 _The Snow Queen took only a moment to think on his offer to her, before she turned her head to look over at him and smiled coolly as she responded in agreement, "Enjoy your trip."_

Gold then smiled as well and started to walk away, until he paused a moment before he asked, "You wouldn't dare try to betray me, like I betrayed you now… would you, dearie? After all, we are once again on the same side and we both wish for you to succeed. I do still admire your plan greatly."

"I might want to betray you after what you almost did to Emma, but even I know better than to turn against the Dark One when it's hardly necessary," Ingrid answered him when she turned around to look at him again, as he now stood behind her. "Besides… you failed and that's all the satisfaction I need. Emma's safe and even better… you've stolen her pirate's heart that you will crush soon enough. You've helped me more than you've hindered my plans. I'm grateful."

"No need to thank me," he haughtily said to her once more, then slowly started walking away from her again, this time without stopping as he added another word of advice as he called back to her. "Whatever you do, dearie... I wouldn't give Emma the chance to plead with you to change your mind. Nor anyone else. Those ribbons might eventually do as you want them to, but she is still the Savior. And she's turned many villains weak like she's done to Hook and the Evil Queen."


	42. Chapter 42

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Forty-Two

Thirty years ago, and for many years before the present time, the Snow Queen once lived in Arendelle, where Elsa and her sister, Anna, as well as Anna's fiancé, Kristoff were all also from. Ingrid lived happily with her sisters for a time, and yet also in fear of her own icy magic until one day her anger fueled by her many years trapped within the same urn which Elsa had once been trapped in, allowed the villainess to conquer her fear and to embrace her powers instead.

The Snow Queen's sisters loved her very much. However, when a terrible tragedy occurred when Ingrid had momentarily given into her anger towards someone who threatened her, one of her sisters was killed by Ingrid's own hand, while the younger sister upon the loss of the other, fearfully turned the urn with the power to capture any powerful being inside of it on the oldest to trap her inside like the sisters hoped never to have to do.

Upon being freed years later, when Prince Hans of the Southern Isles had hoped to use the urn to trap Elsa inside of it so that he could ruthlessly become the new ruler of the Queen's kingdom, the villainess quickly disposed of the cruel man by turning Hans into an ice statue, then attempted to make both Elsa and Anna her new sisters, until the youngest saw through Ingrid's deceptions and knew she couldn't be trusted.

So, the Snow Queen had no choice but to try to turn both sisters against one another so she and Elsa alone could become as they were, until one day a third sister would come along to join with them. After a few failed attempts, Ingrid cast the Spell of Shattered Sight over Anna to get her to turn against Elsa. Unfortunately, the true Queen of Arendelle's love for her sister was stronger than Ingrid anticipated, which ended with a cursed Anna trapping Elsa inside the urn like Ingrid had been by her own sister years earlier as well.

As punishment, the Snow Queen at last cast one final spell over Anna, Kristoff, and all of Arendelle when she cast her power over the entire kingdom and its inhabitants, trapping them in an eternal freeze, which would come to be broken thirty years later when Ingrid cast the Spell of Shattered Sight once again over another distant kingdom within a strange land mostly without magic, harnessing all of her magic from the spell she cast to freeze her own kingdom in order to do so.

Inside Arendelle's castle, as the Spell of Shattered Sight began to cast over Storybrooke…

 _"_ _Holy cats!" Anna cried out with a gasp, the moment the freeze over her, as well as over Kristoff and the rest of Arendelle wore off. "That is cold."_

 _"Ice is like that… I've noticed," her fiancé responded from a few feet away, after he groaned because of the coldness throughout his body._

 _They both rubbed their arms to try to warm themselves up until the Princess, not knowing thirty years had passed since she imprisoned Elsa within the urn while enthralled under her aunt's cruel spell and they had been frozen, immediately looked around the room while she stated again worryingly, "The urn… It was here. It's gone, and so is Elsa and my aunt!"_

 _Kristoff looked at her as he uttered quickly, "But I saw you with it."_

 _"Well… now it's missing, and Elsa is in it," Anna answered him in frustration, then struggled to think of what to do so that they could find out what happened. "I just have to get her out, let her know I didn't mean it."_

 _"What's that?" he then asked after Anna suddenly stepped on something the crunched beneath her feet, when they both looked down._

 _She bent down to pick up what looked like a long sliver of gold, then having seen pieces like it before, she replied, "It's straw. Gold straw. Rumplestiltskin. Kristoff… My aunt doesn't have the urn. He does."_

 _The Ice Master and Deliverer moved closer to his fiancée and looked at her skeptically while he responded, "You are literally hanging a big assumption on a really thin straw."_

 _"But it makes sense," Anna answered him again, holding on to her claim that she was right as she thought back to her previous encounter with the evil wizard. "He would never let someone walk off with something he valued. I should've known he'd follow me."_

 _"And this is… good news?" Kristoff nervously questioned her again._

 _The woman who loved him laid her hands over his arms and looked into his eyes as she assured him, "Don't worry. We can get to him. We can handle him. And even if we can't, we can figure out a way how to. Elsa is the only one who can rule Arendelle."_

 _Unfortunately, it was in that moment when Hans and three of his twelve brothers suddenly entered the room upon opening the large doors widely, while the Prince arrogantly spoke out, "Um… I beg to differ."_

 _"What are you doing here?" Anna worryingly asked him, as she and Kristoff immediately turned to face the threats now standing in front of them._

 _"Hearing you confess you attacked the reigning Queen, and then lost her to another land…" he smugly replied while he and the other Princes approached them. "That sounds like treason to me."_

 _When he glanced back between his brothers he added, "Doesn't it, guys?"_

 _The men all nodded in agreement, as Anna glared at Hans and retorted, "And I sang with you."_

 _"You're both under arrest," the youngest Prince of the Southern Isles quickly said again in order to get his brothers to stop laughing at him after the Princess' comment about them having sung together when Hans had tried to deceive her enough to get her to fall in love with him and marry him. "Under my order as the new King of Arendelle."_

 _"What?" she then chided out of disbelief by his brazen assumption that he could just take over without any fight, while Kristoff simply looked away like the man was joking, even though he knew Hans was quite serious and foolish enough to think he was worthy of being King._

 _The Prince then continued, "We were all frozen, but now that your sister's spell has worn off, no one will argue with a new, benevolent leader such as myself."_

 _Anna glared at Hans as she stormed towards him and angrily responded, "It wasn't her."_

 _"As if anyone will believe that," the traitor cruelly answered her again as he moved in so that their faces were inches apart, until Kristoff interrupted them before the situation could grow any worse._

 _"Okay… you know what?" the Ice Master swiftly called out, while he raised his arms out to the Princes like he had been defeated, and Anna then followed suit as she looked over at the man she loved, knowing exactly what he was thinking. "You got us."_

 _Thinking that the Princess and her fiancé were surrendering to them, Hans motioned to his brothers to bind their wrists so they could take them down to the dungeons. However, much to their surprise, Kristoff swiftly attacked the brute who approached him, as he swiftly picked up his pickaxe lying on the table beside him, then swung it to knock the Prince's legs out from under him. Anna immediately grabbed another of the brothers' swords from it scabbard when the brothers all momentarily became distracted by Kristoff's attack, and she then forced the blade to the Prince's throat standing in front of her to threaten him so that they would at last let them go._

 _Hans sheathed his own sword again upon seeing one of his brothers being threatened by the sword against his neck, then motioned to the others to stand down like Kristoff and Anna wanted. The Princess and Ice Master moved closer together while they kept their weapons trained on their enemies, then once they saw their chance, they immediately ran from the room as one of the brothers shouted out for the others to stop them. However, Kristoff swiftly barred the doors closed using his pickaxe to try to keep the brothers from coming after them._

Once they were clear, as they continued running through the castle's corridors, Anna cried, "What do we do now, Kristoff? We can't just run forever."

Kristoff anxiously replied, "I don't really care where we go. We just have to keep running, until we can't any longer. We'll worry about what to do next once we're away from here."

"Right," his fiancée stated again in agreement, while she then began to lead the way as Kristoff followed close behind her.

"For now, let's head into the woods," the Ice Master suggested. "The trees will give us the best cover. Keep running, Anna. We're gonna be alright."


	43. Chapter 43

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Forty-Three

Back in Storybrooke…

While the heroes continued talking inside Granny's diner, Grumpy suddenly came running inside and rushed towards his friends while he cried out, "Something's coming! A new curse. The Snow Queen's cast a new curse!"

Killian swiftly stood up so he could let Emma, David, and Mary Margaret out of the booth, as Regina stared at the dwarf in disbelief while she also stood, as did everyone else, then the Mayor questioned, "What? Are you sure?"

"There's a big purple cloud of magic coming this way from the woods," Leroy brusquely retorted as he glared at the woman who had once cast the very first curse they had dealt with. "So yeah… I'm pretty sure."

"All right," she apologetically answered him.

Emma then led the way while the others followed close behind her, as they rushed outside to see what they were dealing with, but when no one saw what Grumpy was talking about, Robin looked down at him and asked, "Are you sure that you saw this purple smoke cloud? Cause we don't."

The Savior turned her head towards the clock tower, and she swiftly began to run towards it down the street as she called back to them, "Follow me."

At last, once they all stood within the tower behind the clock and looked out in the direction where Grumpy had seen the curse coming from, the rest of them could finally see the cloud as well. Regina quickly summoned a pair of binoculars into her hands so she could see the magic more clearly, then Elsa took them from her to do the same.

 _"_ _My aunt is actually doing this," she then stated sadly and let out a worried sigh, before handing the binoculars back to Mary Margaret, who was standing behind her as well._

 _"The Spell of Shattered Sight," the Princess fearfully whispered, as her husband reached out to lay his hand down on her shoulder to comfort her._

 _David also looked through the binoculars when she handed them back to him, then he spoke sternly, yet confidently saying, "We open the mines and the vault. We take shelter there."_

 _Regina kept her eyes ahead on the cloud slowly coming towards them in the distance while she gruffly responded, "This is magic. It doesn't care about ceilings. It's started."_

 _"How long?" Hook asked while he remained standing behind her, as Emma looked between them both._

 _"By sundown," she crossly replied, as she turned her head to look back at him. "By sundown, everyone in this town will start… tearing each other apart."_

 _The Savior turned back to stare ahead at the cloud of magic again as she then answered firmly, "Okay… The answer is simple. Let's not be in town."_

She looked over at the Mayor again as she asked quickly, "Regina… can you poof us all to the ice wall?"

When she understood what Emma was suggesting, she nodded as she raised her hands above her head, then waved them in order to do like her friend requested. Within seconds, all of them were standing in front of the high ice wall at the town line which continued to prevent anyone from leaving Storybrooke.

 _"Hardly an elegant solution," the former Evil Queen gruffly said again once they arrived and stood in front of the ice wall, while they all stared up at its height and size._

 _"Nothing wrong with brute force if it works," Emma responded to her, sounding as hopeful as she could._

 _Leroy examined the ice carefully and then he replied, "If we can get over, we can build a frame… take people over one at a time._

 _David draped a long sturdy rope carefully rolled over his left shoulder and pulled up a pickaxe Regina conjured for him from the back of his pickup truck, then started to approach the wall himself while his wife whispered to him worrying, "David, be careful."_

 _Charming nodded at her with a soft smile, then he cautiously walked towards the ice wall. He hesitated only for a moment, until he raised the pickaxe and suddenly struck the ice in an attempt to climb it. However, the wall immediately defended itself, as the Snow Queen's magic rapidly forced the Prince back through the air, causing David to crash again to the ground as the ice began to grow, as the wall grew even higher and thicker, making it impossible for the heroes to climb up over it or to break through it, even with Elsa's magic._

 _"You okay?" Emma swiftly asked her father, as she and Mary Margaret both rushed to his side to help him before the ice could grow around him enough to trap him like Emma and Elsa had been._

 _"David?" his wife cried in concern upon seeing her husband get knocked backwards off his feet._

 _Regina stared up at the magic's new editions while she stated snidely, "Looks like that wall doesn't care much for your brute force."_

Mary Margaret sighed in frustration and then she answered, "There has to be something we can do. I refuse to believe there's no hope we can save ourselves from this curse."

"As much as I would like to believe in a little hope right now, Mary Margaret… I just don't see how," the former Evil Queen curtly responded to her. "Believe me… I did everything I could to make sure no one could break my curse no matter everything you all did to try to stop me."

"But we did stop you," David replied when he and the others all turned to look at their Savior.

Killian smiled softly at the woman he loved, as she too turned her head to look into his eyes and smiled as well when he continued for his friend, "Because Emma believed in herself enough to defeat you, Your Majesty. Like she believes in herself again."

 _She reached out to take Killian's hand in her own, then turned towards the others surrounding them, while she spoke again more confidently saying, "If we're gonna win, we need to stop wasting time. Mom, Dad, Ruby, Leroy… go tell everyone what's going on. When this goes down, everyone needs to be separated from their loved ones if they don't want to hurt each other."_

 _"Killian… go to waterfront to see if we can use boats to get some people out," she then added as she turned back to the pirate once more, as Hook simply nodded in agreement._

"I have to go warn my men," Robin then said out of concern for his own friends who came over into this world with him from their previous home in Sherwood Forest. "They have no idea what's coming."

 _Upon deciding immediately she would go with him, Regina added, "His camp's not far from here."_

 _Emma nodded as she answered, "Okay, go. Elsa and I are gonna talk to Gold. See if he has any ideas. Henry… you come with us."_

 _"No," the boy's adopted mother swiftly retorted, more curtly than she had intended to, so she softened her tone as she looked between her son and his other mother. "He's with me. I'm his best chance."_

 _"That might not be true," Elsa responded to her in concern. "Emma and I? I think we're immune."_

 _The Mayor looked at her in confusion as she questioned gruffly, "What?"_

 _The Queen of Arendelle raised her wrist to reveal the ribbon around it again, as did Emma, while Elsa replied, "These ribbons. If the Snow Queen wants us to be her sisters, then the curse won't affect us."_

Killian stared down at the ribbon around Emma's wrist in worry upon seeing it for the first time while the conversation around him continued. He had been too wrapped up in his own mind and with his own troubles, that he had failed to see that the Snow Queen had one more trick up her sleeves to try to trap his love into the world this villainess was fighting so hard to make for herself, which included only Emma and Elsa.

 _"So… I should definitely watch Henry," Emma stated again after Elsa spoke._

 _"No," Regina retorted, this time just as brusque as she sounded. "You're part of this nut job's plan. I want Henry near me as long as it's safe for him."_

 _The teenager finally spoke again while he looked over at Emma and then answered, "It's okay, Mom. I'll be fine with her."_

 _Regina tenderly patted her son's back appreciatively, as Emma stepped forward to pull Henry into a hug while she smiled at him and whispered, "Be careful, kid."_

 _"We gotta go," the Mayor then said worryingly, as she looked up into the sky again and saw that the curse was only continuing to grow above them. "This is happening now."_

"Swan…" Hook then suddenly called out to Emma as he swiftly reached out to grab her arm to stop her before she could run off, and pulled her back over to him while everyone else began to do like they needed to do to prepare. "Wait."

Emma looked at him worryingly, as she moved in until she was leaning against his body and asked, "What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

Killian nodded, then looked down at the yellow ribbon around her wrist again as he responded sadly, "Aye, love. It's just… Why didn't you tell me about this ribbon last night? It was when it must have appeared, was it not? Just after you found your fire again and therefore defeated the Snow Queen's plans to make you doubt yourself?"

"Yes, but I… I didn't want to worry you," the Savior whispered, as she tenderly laid her hand over the back of his neck, then began to run her fingers through his thick black hair on the back of his head. "You were already struggling with so much of your own… You were so worried about me as it was and I couldn't worry you anymore."

"Emma… I…" he started to reply again, until his love laid her free over up over his mouth to keep him from continuing.

Then, she said assuredly, "This ribbon means nothing, Killian. It's only temporarily weakened my magic… I think to help the Snow Queen to harness enough of mine and Elsa's powers so she could cast her curse. But I promise you, I'm alright. I am. Please… please try not to worry so much about me."

The Captain nodded again and then answered, "I'm afraid I can't help it, love. But I believe in you. So go do what you need to do. And so will I."

"Are you sure you're feeling alright this morning?" Emma then asked him again before he could take off on her as well. "You said you went out for a walk this morning after you woke up so you could clear your head. Did you get any sleep at all last night?"

"A little, but… not as much as I had hoped to," Killian honestly responded to her when he looked down into her eyes again, knowing that she would sense his lie if he attempted to deceive her. "Nightmares and such… But they're nothing I can't handle. Forgive me, love. I'm afraid, I've got somewhere to be. It's about noon and I… Well, you needed me to go out to the harbor to see if we can get people out of here by boats. I should do so as soon as possible. So we can try to evacuate as many people as we can before the curse strikes. If only I still had the Jolly Roger here. I'd be able to get us all out and we'd be able to outrun this bloody curse."

Emma smiled up at him and laughed upon thinking back to his confession about trading his ship for her, then she replied, "Just like you outran the dark curse my parents cast in order to bring us all home."

The Savior's smile faded as she looked down sadly and then asked, "Do you regret losing the only home you've ever known for the last two hundred years? The home your brother made for you once your ship became yours after he died?"

"I don't regret trading my ship in the slightest, Emma," the pirate who loved her answered her assuredly, as he laid his hand beneath her chin and gently lifted it so she would look up into his eyes once more. "Trading her brought me home where I belong. Trading her brought me back to you. Even it was only for a little while."

"Killian…" she then stated in concern upon sensing he meant more behind his last remark than he was able to explain to her, but before she could continue to ask him what was wrong, he leaned in to kiss her cheek and swiftly ran off once he pulled back again without so much as another word.

She knew that he was running off to see about getting the people out by the boats tied out in the harbor like she asked of him, but Emma didn't know anything about him having to meet up with Gold there at noon, like the Dark One had ordered him to do the night before upon taking control of Killian's heart.

Unfortunately, as much as she knew Hook was still keeping a troubling secret from her that was hurting him more and more every second he couldn't share it with her, she didn't have the time to run after him to try to discover what it was. She and Elsa needed to go and talk with Gold again about trying to stop the curse. So, Emma finally turned back to Elsa, who had stood back in silence to patiently wait for her and Killian to finish talking. And together, they finally made their way back into town so they could do like they needed to do as well. They just didn't know that Gold wouldn't be there when they arrived. 


	44. Chapter 44

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Forty-Four

Once again in Arendelle…

After Anna and Kristoff fled from the castle to escape from Hans and the three of his brothers who had attempted to have them arrested, the couple ran as fast and as far away from their home as they could, making their way deep into the forest surrounding their Kingdom where they knew the trees could help to provide them cover. They hated having to run, especially because doing so left the rightful rulers of the Southern Isles, still in charge of Arendelle too, and gave Hans even more of an opportunity to tarnish their good names to their people.

 _"_ _Wait!" Anna finally cried out to her fiancé from behind him while they both panted from their exertion, then she stopped running at last, being unable to continue doing so any further until she could catch her breath. "Stop! Too much running!"_

 _"Okay," the Ice Master replied when he stopped a few feet away from her, and coughed as he also struggled to get his breathing back under control as well. "I don't hear eight enormous feet, so I think we lost them."_

 _The Princess moved closer to him while she answered in frustration, "Great. So now we just need to get that urn back."_

 _She looked to him for confirmation that he agreed with her, until Kristoff responded sternly, "Call me crazy, but I really don't want to face an evil wizard."_

 _"I never said 'evil'," Anna timidly replied, trying to make it sound like she had been exaggerating about the kind of man Rumplestiltskin was back when she had complained to the man she loved about the villain and their confrontation during her secret mission to help her sister, until Kristoff looked back at her again in disbelief. "I mean… he is, but… Oh! I have a plan. Right before I left, I read Mother's diary. The one Elsa found, looking for clues. There was something they were looking for called a Wishing Star."_

 _"What's that?" he questioned her, never having heard of a Wishing Star until now._

 _They slowly started walking again to keep moving onward as the Princess answered, "I have no idea. But the important thing is, you can wish on it. I'm sure they were gonna use it to take Elsa's power. But maybe we can use it to wish Elsa back to us."_

 _The Ice Master and Deliverer shrugged, as he thought about his fiancée's plan, then began to mimic Elsa's ability to use her ice magic while he responded, "Well, obviously they never got it because… Elsa… Powers…"_

 _"Right," Anna stated again. "They tracked it to a pirate named Black Beard. But there's no record they ever met with him, but we can."_

 _"Ohh… So my choices are evil wizard or pirate?" he mockingly retorted when he turned his head to look back at her, then faced forward again so he could keep his eyes on the path ahead of them._

 _She read his face and the tone in his voice and understood why he was skeptical, yet she replied confidently, "Pirates are better than wizards."_

 _Kristoff asked curtly, "Says who?"_

 _"You can pay off pirates," the woman he loved continued, while he just laughed still out of disbelief until Anna pulled him back around to face him, when they once again stopped walking long enough for her to convince him this was their best option. "You and I are rich in many ways, but the thing we're richest in is riches. So let's take the power of the royal treasury and go buy ourselves a wishing thing. We can use it to rescue Elsa, and she can save Arendelle."_

"All right," he finally answered her upon relenting to her pleas to go along with her, as they continued walking again. "The pirate it is then. I may not like the idea, but you're right about this being our only real option. I just hope you're right that this… Black Beard likes gold and treasure like most pirates do."

Anna shrugged worryingly and then she whispered, "Right. Me too. But either way, we can handle him and the rest of his men. We have to. For Elsa's sake and all of Arendelle's. And then, you and me can find Hans and kick his butt back to the Southern Isles where he belongs."

Kristoff smiled at her, then responded, "Actually, I think even that Kingdom deserves far better than him. Thank God he's like… thirteenth in line for the throne. Although, the rest of his brothers aren't any better. Not since they tried to help Hans overthrow us just now. Not to mention everything before now too. All their conspiring to overthrow Elsa… wanting to trap her inside the urn in the first place… them nearly killing me to try to get to Elsa when we went to find that urn before they could…"

"Wait… what?" the Princess replied again in confusion, as she looked at him in concern upon hearing about him almost being killed while he had gone with Elsa to find the urn, a part he and Elsa had left out of their story when they shared with her all that they had done while she was in Misthaven.

"Uh… You can forget I said that last part," the Ice Master reluctantly answered her upon realizing what he had just confessed. "I had asked Elsa not to say anything to you about Hans putting his sword to my neck and one of the brothers putting one up to my throat when they attempted to use me against her. I didn't want to worry you. I don't know why I just told you now."

His fiancée looked over at him sadly while she responded, "Kristoff… you should have told me. I'm so sorry that happened. And yet… I'm very grateful to you for risking your life to protect my sister. You have no idea how much that meant to me. Or how happy I am that you and Elsa are now so much closer than you were before."

He smiled at Anna as he replied proudly, "Your sister even called me her friend. It sounds kind of lame if you didn't know the kind of relationship we had beforehand. But to me being called her friend meant a lot more than she knows. Plus… she did save my life too. Before your aunt started wrecking her own havoc."

"Oh, Kristoff…" Anna worryingly answered him. "I'm scared for Elsa. And worried about what Ingrid might be up to now. Who knows how long we were frozen for? And if Hans was back at our castle prepared to rule Arendelle, then where is my aunt? She should be around here somewhere, but she's not."

"One thing at a time," Kristoff responded, then he swiftly pulled the woman he loved in to kiss her as if to assure her everything would be all right again before they continued to run onward towards the nearest port, where they could barter themselves passage on a boat to the nearest port where they hoped Black Beard would be found.


	45. Chapter 45

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Forty-Five

In Storybrooke…

After leaving their friends at the ice wall, Robin, Regina, and Henry began to make their way back into the woods towards the Merry Men's camp so they could warn John and the rest of the archer's men of the curse that was looming over them. Plus, Roland was out with John and Friar Tuck for the day, while Robin joined Regina for breakfast at Granny's and was now busy trying to help his friends defeat the Snow Queen's curse. Now, he wanted to make sure his son was alright, and that he would continue to remain safe with his closest friends for as long as was needed.

While they walked, they talked a little about the Snow Queen and her curse, as well as about what the Merry Men needed to do in order to avoid hurting one another should they fail to stop the curse from falling over them. However, Regina eventually brought up the subject of Operation Mongoose, since neither her son, nor the man she loved had yet to share with her what they might have discovered in their search for information about the Author of Henry's storybook.

Once she did, Henry avoided looking at her when he responded, "I'm sorry to say that our search yesterday was nothing but a waste of time. I really should have stayed with you, and Grandma and Grandpa so I could help you find Mom. At least I would have been more useful."

Regina stopped walking, as she reached out to grab her son by his shoulders in order to turn him around to face her while she replied, "You are plenty useful, Henry. To me and to Robin, as well as to everyone else. Always."

"Your mother's right," Robin stated to him in agreement with her, as they continued walking again so they could reach the camp as quickly as they could. "You worked very hard last night in the library, searching practically every book in there for answers. Or at least what felt like every book. And we may not have found answers, but we tried. And that's what's important."

"That… And that you don't ever give up," Regina added again. "And I don't just mean on Operation Mongoose, of course. It's important never to give up on anything you're passionate about, or on something you might be determined about. Besides... we didn't find Emma until it would have been too late to help her, so we weren't of any use to her either. Elsa was the one who saved your mother from Gold's deception and helped her to regain control of her powers again. Hook too. He was able to comfort Emma like no one else could. Like he's always been able to do. Although, he doesn't see that right now."

Henry smiled at her and then he answered, "It's nice to hear you give Killian some credit for a change. And you're right that I shouldn't be ready to give up on trying to find the Author of my book. I guess I just needed someone to remind me. Thanks."

The Queen smiled back at him and nodded, then she responded, "That's why I'm here."

"We've made it," the archer then spoke again, as they finally arrived outside of his men's camp, then called out to his closest friend. "John? John!"

"There you are," John replied as he called back to Robin, when he, Roland, Will, and Friar Tuck came running towards their leader, while the rest of the men were scurrying around their camp in a panic upon already having seen the curse coming over the trees.

Roland immediately rushed into his father's open arms and cried out for him as Robin bent down so he could pick him up, then the big man continued, "I take it you've seen whatever that purple cloud is roaring through the sky?"

Robin nodded as he answered, "We've seen it. Which is why we've come here to warn you. All of you need to find someplace away from everyone else, where you can tie yourselves to a tree, or simply just keep away from everyone so that you can't hurt anyone. We're busy working on trying to stop it and the Snow Queen, but if this curse hits, it will cause us all to become the opposite of who we are and we'll begin to tear ourselves apart."

"You mean literally?" Will questioned the leader, who still wasn't his leader despite them having begun to put their differences aside the day before.

"Yes, quite literally," Regina snidely responded, as she turned to glare at the thief. "I suggest you listen to what we're trying to tell you, or you probably won't live to see another sunrise."

The thief nodded and then replied, "You make your point quite clear, Your Majesty."

When he then ran off, Friar Tuck looked at Robin again as he asked, "What are you planning on doing with Roland, Robin? Surely you don't plan on leaving him all alone, do you?"

"Actually, we're going to have the fairies cast a special protection spell over all the children in Storybrooke so they'll remain safe, and won't be able to try to hurt the others or anyone else either," Henry answered him, while he looked between his adopted mother, Robin Hood, John, and the Friar. "Like… a sleeping spell. So none of them will be aware of what's happening."

"But we need to get going," Robin responded once again. "So all of you, find yourselves somewhere where you'll be able to stay safe as well. Tie yourselves up, knock yourselves out, or do whatever you have to do. Just don't be anywhere near anyone else. And be sure to spread the word to the others who aren't standing here at the moment. Do you understand?"

His two men nodded, then John spoke sternly again saying, "You had better be careful too, Robin. And whatever you do, stop this ice witch, or Snow Queen… whatever she is."

Regina smiled at him as she replied, "We'll stop her. One way or another, we will."

Meanwhile…

Emma and Elsa made their way back into town as quickly as they were able to on foot once everyone else ran off to do like the Savior had asked of them. Once they were just down the street from the pawnshop, the Queen from Arendelle slowed her friend down a little so she could ask her if she was going to be okay with talking to Gold again, especially after their confrontation with him the night before.

"Emma… are you sure you're able to talk to Gold again?" she worryingly asked her, as she reached out to grab Emma by her arm, though they continued to walk. "I mean… after last night, I'm sure neither one of you are quite ready to be too civilized towards one another. And believe me… after what Gold's done, I can't blame you."

"I don't want to confront him again and honestly… I'm not sure if I am ready to, but I don't really have a choice," Emma answered in frustration, as she glanced over at the older woman. "We need his help to stop this curse. I'm ticked off with him for what he tried to do to me. Gold knew what I was struggling with. Knew that I was terrified I was going to hurt more of those I loved and he used my fear against me. But more than all that… I'm angry because of what he's done to Killian. Killian's hardly any better today than he was last night, though he's doing a hell of a job trying to mask his pain. Gold hasn't changed like he tried to get us all to believe. He's still every bit the Crocodile just like Killian's always said he was. I just have to bite down and try not to let my anger towards him rear its head. Hopefully, Belle will be there with him so I don't lose my temper again. Come on… let's get this over with."

Unfortunately, when they walked inside, Gold was nowhere to be found, but thankfully Belle was, and she had spent most of the morning pouring over as many of her husband's books that she could find to learn more about the Spell of Shattered Sight. Both from texts and from the actual story the idea of the curse came from, _The Trolden Glass_.

 _Once the beauty greeted them from behind the counter at the back of the room, then explained to them that her husband would hopefully be back soon and what she herself had been busy doing, Elsa looked at her with hope in her eyes as she questioned, "_ _Any luck?"_

 _Belle sighed deeply in frustration and then she responded, "No. It appears to be pretty much unstoppable."_

 _However, she suddenly sounded a little more hopeful when she added, "The one thing I did find is… there may be a way to undo the effects from anyone it touches."_

 _"That's wonderful," the Queen of Arendelle eagerly replied, as she glanced over at Emma who also had a fleeting moment of hope, until it became dashed again when Belle continued._

 _"It seems that when somebody's been touched by the spell, that you can use them to undo it," she apprehensively said to them. "With a strand of their hair, you can make some kind of counter spell. Like a vaccine."_

"Great… no one here's ever been touched by this curse before," the Savior curtly answered her out of frustration. "This solution doesn't help us at all."

 _However, Elsa suddenly remembered Ingrid telling her during their interrogation, that Anna was the one who turned against her and trapped her inside the urn, and it dawned on her why it could have been possible, so she uttered swiftly, "My sister."_

 _Emma glanced over at her in surprise as she questioned, "What?"_

 _"My aunt said she put me in that urn," her friend responded again. "I didn't believe her because Anna would never do that… unless she was under that spell. We have to get to her."_

 _"But you… You still don't know where she is," Belle uneasily replied to her._

 _Elsa smiled as she pulled out her sister's necklace from within a small blue pouch she carried on her, then carefully handed it over to the beauty while she answered, "No, but you can help me find her. David said if we had something of Emma's, we could use this locator spell to find her. Well… I have something of Anna's. Sometimes sentimentality pays off."_

 _The Savior shook her head out of relief as she responded, "Point Elsa."_

 _"There's… mirror dust in this," Belle then said again a few moments later, once she took the necklace from her friend and studied it beneath Rumple's magnifying glass. "Actually embedded in the metal."_

 _"So, I was right," Elsa sadly replied again upon thinking about her sister being trapped under the same spell her friends were all about to face as well. "She was under that spell."_

 _However, she anxiously added, "So if we find Anna, she can save everyone."_

 _Belle looked between Elsa and Emma again while she kept hold of the necklace, as she spoke again eagerly saying, "I'll round up the fairies. They can set up shop somewhere close and figure out how to make the counter spell."_

 _"Thank you," the Queen from Arendelle answered her with a quiet laugh, then quickly turned back to Emma once again. "Let's go."_

 _"Elsa… you realize this is a long shot," the Savior responded, as she looked into her friend's eyes with concern, knowing that the locator's spell might not work like Elsa hoped. "I was time travelling when I brought you here, and when Anna disappeared, it was…"_

 _Elsa interrupted, "Thirty years ago. I know. But she's okay. She has to be. And I don't care how old she is. She can save us."_

 _Emma nodded and then she replied, "Okay, then. We're relying on mirror dust and fairies, but now we have a plan, which is progress. Let's go find your sister."_

"Emma?" Belle then stated in concern, as she looked over at the Savior again upon seeing her still standing there considering something on her mind after Elsa had started to leave, until she too saw her friend wasn't following her. "Is something wrong?"

"Yeah… Listen, Belle… I…" Emma answered her with apprehension. "I need to ask you something. Have you noticed at all that Gold isn't… Well, that he hasn't changed as much as we all would like to believe he has?"

The beauty looked at her in confusion as she responded sternly, "What do you mean, he hasn't changed? Of course Rumple's changed. He's been trying to help you all against the Snow Queen and he gave his life to defeat Pan. To… to save us from him."

The Savior sighed as she turned around to face her straight on, then in hope of trying to get her to understand, wanting Belle to be aware of what he's hidden from her so she would know the truth as she deserved to, she continued, "Please… I'm not saying this to hurt you, or to hurt him. And he might have changed for awhile, until something must have sent him back down the dark path again. The darkness inside of him… I don't know. But last night, Gold tricked me into believing he wanted to help me when my powers were out of control. I came to him asking for help and he told me he had a way to rid me of my magic. But what he didn't tell me is that in doing so, I would also be sucked into some… magical hat he's in possession of and trapped inside of it forever. For all we know, I could have died."

"No…" Belle stated in disbelief as she shook her head. "No, this can't be true. You must have misunderstood what he told you."

"Gold didn't tell me how he was going to take away my magic, except through some ancient spell," Emma replied again. "He said nothing about some magical hat. It was Killian who told me about it. After Gold blackmailed him into helping him pull Zelena and some old man into the hat first, by threatening me. Gold's hurt Killian more than Killian will admit to me he has for days. If you don't trust me… I can't blame you. But you can find out for yourself if you use the dagger to summon him here. Just to summon him. If you do, you'll see that the dagger Gold gave to you to hold onto, is a fake."

The beauty looked at her as she retorted cruelly, "Because Killian told you? And you really believe him? Maybe he's the one who hasn't changed as much as you'd like to believe. I know how much he still hates my husband because of their past. Killian won't ever see that Rumple's become a better man. No. I won't betray Rumple's trust. I promised him I would never use the dagger against him. Please leave. Or… just wait outside for me to mix up a locator potion for you."

Emma looked at her friend sadly, despite being upset with her over the cruel words she had spoken against Hook, then she turned to leave while Elsa followed behind her, as the Savior answered her, "I'm sorry, Belle. I really am. But like I said… I wasn't trying to hurt you. It was only meant as a warning for you to be careful. Thanks for your help with finding Anna."


	46. Chapter 46

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Forty-Six

In Storybrooke's harbor…

Killian walked in a hurry so he could make his way to the harbor since noon was approaching fast. He had been asked by Emma to see about getting people from the town out safely by boats. But Gold had also ordered him to meet him there at twelve o'clock sharp, and he was already running late because he had stayed behind at the ice wall in order to talk with Emma longer than he should have, as much as he longed to. And when the Captain finally arrived, it was unfortunate that Gold was already there waiting for him, just as Killian dreaded he would be.

"You're late, Captain," the villain snidely said to him, when Hook slowed as he reluctantly approached him.

"I came as fast as I could," Hook aloofly answered him, then he pulled out his spyglass to begin looking out over the ocean to see if the way was clear for them to escape from Storybrooke by sea.

While the pirate continued looking out at the horizon, Gold sat down on the bench overlooking the ocean and stared ahead of him as well, then he responded mockingly, "You know… I very much doubt that. You're lucky you were only just a few seconds too late. But it doesn't really matter anymore, seeing as you've finally arrived."

 _At first… it looked as though the way was clear for everyone to flee by sea, until Killian then saw the Snow Queen's ice wall begin to expand outward far beyond him through his spyglass as if her magic had heard his inner thoughts, while its walls surrounded them to cut them off completely from the outside world, and he spoke disappointedly saying, "_ _No fleeing by boat then."_

 _"This Snow Queen is good, isn't she?" the Dark One condescendingly questioned, then he looked up at his enemy and saw the disdain on his face as Hook clenched his jaw in frustration._

 _"Sit, lad," he cruelly continued, as he pat the bench beside him to indicate where he wanted him to sit out of absolute submission, so Killian had no choice but to obey his command against his will and complied, then the Crocodile gently pat his bag sitting on the ground against the bench beside him in order to remind the Captain where his heart currently was. "Don't forget where your heart lies. Now I have a job for you."_

 _Gold then summoned the box containing the hat again onto the bench between them and added, "You remember how this works."_

 _Hook glanced down at the box and uttered, "The hat?"_

 _"Not Emma," he painstakingly beseeched the villain sitting beside him when it dawned on him what Gold might want him to do for him now while under his control, as Killian raised his head and faced his enemy so he could look into his eyes._

 _"No, no… Not this time," Gold answered him snidely once again with a cruel laugh. "I have a better plan. Granny's Diner is being converted into a temporary hive for the vilest of creatures… the pious little fleas."_

 _The pirate Captain thought a moment out of confusion to consider who his enemy might be talking about until he questioned, "Pious? The fairies?"_

 _Gold haughtily replied again, "Just like any flying pests… if you wanna eliminate the infestation, it's important to get them all. Doing so will infuse this hat with enough power to allow me to cleave myself from the dagger and then leave this town with my powers intact. A suddenly urgent undertaking. Now will you assist me?"_

 _"You have my heart," Killian darkly responded with contempt for himself rather than towards the man beside him, knowing it was only his own fault for getting himself in his current predicament. "You know I can't refuse."_

 _"Indeed," the Crocodile answered, as he chuckled once again to mock him. "But here's the rub, dearie. My wife has just called to inform me that she intends to spend the day sequestered amongst… said fleas. So I need you to stand by while I get her out of the way."_

 _Hook pieced the villain's plan together in his mind, then looked over at Gold again and saw the smugness on his face while he replied brusquely, "The fairies are working to stop the spell. You're killing the cure? You do this, you condemn the entire town, and even your own grandson, to whatever happens."_

 _The Dark One looked at him as if he was surprised by Hook's accusation, then responded cruelly, "No. I'm not leaving Henry. I will take him and I will take Belle… and I will leave this town to its fate."_

 _"But Emma and everyone else…?" the Captain asked in frustration._

 _"I don't have time for everyone else," Gold callously retorted. "And if I have to choose between everyone else and me… 'Me' wins every time."_

 _When Killian turned his head to look out again over the ocean while he continued to clench his jaw out of frustration and concern for all those he cared about and loved, his enemy looked over at him, then he stated maliciously, "You can clench your jaw… And flash your eyes all you wish, because it doesn't change the fact…"_

 _The Dark One then pulled out his dagger from the inside of his suit coat and swiftly transformed the box back into the Sorcerer's hat upon waving the dagger over it again while he finished, "…that we're in this together."_

"I don't care if I die, Crocodile," Killian answered him again, with as much strength and confidence as he could muster within himself in order to avoid showing his enemy how weak he truly felt, while he looked Gold straight in his eyes. "I brought this retribution upon myself. I understand that. But you won't win even if you do succeed in crushing my heart. Emma and the others will find a way to stop you. Of that… I am certain. Villains don't get their happy endings."

"Today… this villain does," Gold snidely replied to him once more, then stood up while he grabbed Hook's shoulder in order to pull him up along with him and squeezed it again tightly to hurt him. "I should have killed you that day so many years ago on the deck of your ship just after I cut off your hand, Captain. But then this moment here… right now, is so much more satisfying. Because you are my puppet, just as I said to you last night. Shall I remind you of that fact?"

When Hook just glared back at him, his enemy smiled cruelly, then reached down to pick up his satchel, reached inside of it to pull out the Captain's still glowing heart, and smiled cruelly at Killian while he commanded, "Bow before me, pirate. And admit to me that you really know just how much of a puppet you are. Beg me to spare your precious Savior's life, as well as her boy's."

The younger man looked at him in confusion as he responded, "But you already said you would spare Henry's life. That you were…"

"On your knees… and beg!" his enemy suddenly demanded more firmly, then began to squeeze his heart so that Killian could no longer resist.

"Please… spare Emma and her son," Hook begged of him as he weakly got down on his knees low to the ground and bowed before the Dark One, all like he had been ordered to do with every fiber of hatred within his being. "I am begging you… don't let… Don't let them die. I'll do anything… anything that you want."

All of a sudden, the Snow Queen then appeared behind the pirate while she began to laugh at him, which only furthered Killian's humiliation as he closed his eyes and lowered his head against his chest to wait for Gold to finally free him. Gold chortled at his humiliation as well, then finally loosened his grip around Killian's heart. Yet he ordered him again to stay down on his knees while he and Ingrid talked.

Ingrid then spoke before the other villain could talk to her, as she kept her eyes between both men and said cruelly, "I must say I do quite like this development in your plan to rid our world of this good for nothing pirate, Rumplestiltskin. It is quite amusing."

The Dark One looked at the woman standing across from him while Hook remained on his knees between them, and he answered her, "It is. But I'm certain this wasn't the reason why you've come to see me again. What is it you want now? I thought we came to an understanding once more."

"We have," the villainess replied. "I've come out here for some fresh air. And so I can watch those from this town tear themselves apart more easily than I can from within my lair or in the woods. It won't be long now."

"I see," Gold responded, then began to look around him, especially in the direction of the square. "Indeed. You have come to the right place to watch. However, I'd be very careful if you plan to remain out in the open like this, dearie. Should a number of people see you out here while under the thralls of your spell, they won't hold back in trying to kill you like I would if this curse were to infect me as well. Luckily for you, it won't. Luckily for you, we have come to an understanding once more."

Ingrid nodded and then she answered, "Yes. Luckily for me. Don't worry about me, Dark One. I'll be perfectly fine. And even if somehow I weren't, my sisters will soon come to want to protect me as I do them."

Once Gold finally gave Killian full control over his mind and body again, Killian stood up and turned to the Snow Queen while he asked, "The yellow ribbons around Emma's and Elsa's wrists… That's what they're meant for, aren't they? Not only to drain their magic for this bloody curse of yours, but to force them to become your sisters and to brainwash them into loving you? They'll never work. At least not the last part. Emma's far too strong to be brainwashed by you. Magic, or not. Even if she might have cared about you once until something happened between you that made her run away from you. Didn't she?"

"You're really quite perceptive, Captain Hook," she coldly replied to him, then slowly began to circle around him while they continued to talk. "I'm impressed. Emma doesn't remember our life together and so she can't remember what happened between us. But yes… she did run away from me. Because I pushed her too fast and too far in hope of getting her to be the person she is now, when she wasn't ready to be so then. Because I wanted her to love me irrefutably. She's a bright, beautiful, and strong woman. Which is why… I still can't understand what it is she sees in you. After all you've done in your past, and this mess you've gotten yourself in so deep, that you can't even claw your way back out from it? Tell me… Why does she love you?"

"Emma doesn't love me," Killian desolately responded to her, as he kept his eyes on the villainess before him whenever she came around again into his line of sight, not wanting to follow her while she walked around him. "Not like I love her. Not nearly so. But I don't blame her because like you, I don't understand what she sees in me either. Because she does care about me. And I'm grateful she does. If there's any explanation as to why… Maybe it's because I see all you see in her and I wish for her to remain just as she is. I wish for her to be happy all the days of her life. She needn't change anything about herself, though I do hope to help rid her of the walls she's built up over the years that have tried to keep her down because of people like you, Your Majesty. She deserves to be happy in the life she's chosen… as a mother, as a daughter, and as a Savior. And she cares about me because… Well, perhaps because I've shown Emma how much I love her. In my words and in everything I've done since I met her, even in the foolish decisions I've made which brought me here, to becoming the Dark One's bloody puppet. Decisions I will forever regret even once I'm long dead. But I won't ever regret loving Emma. No matter what happens to me."

The villainess looked at him darkly as she answered, "How very noble of you. I can't wait for Rumplestiltskin to show me your dead body once all is said and done, pirate. Soon you'll be dead and soon… Emma won't care about you any longer. Because she'll forget all about you."

Gold smiled and then finally spoke again cruelly saying, "I certainly hope that's so. Now if you'll forgive me, Your Majesty. I'm afraid my puppet and I have somewhere to be. As I've said, there's much to do if we wish for our plans to succeed."

"Absolutely," Ingrid replied, then reached out to caress Killian's cheek like Emma would, until he swiftly pulled away from her without speaking another word and looked down in the utmost despair. "Have fun, Dark One."

"I'll be ridding this world of more than just one pesky problem I've let live for far too long," the Crocodile smugly responded. "Of course, it'll be fun."

At last, Gold turned to leave the harbor, as he motioned for Hook to follow after him and unfortunately for the Captain, he had no choice but to comply once again. As for the Snow Queen, she remained behind on the docks and sat down on the same bench where the two men had been sitting before, then she sat back to wait for her spell to fall.


	47. Chapter 47

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Forty-Seven

Back within Robin Hood's camp…

The merry men continued busying themselves as they pulled down their tents, packed all of their possessions within their bags, and prepared themselves for the worst to come. Regina and Henry remained close as they watched the men work, until her son rushed off to help them however he could. However, the Queen on the other hand stayed put as she watched Robin with his own son, while he made Roland laugh to help make him feel better before he could be brought to the fairies so they could put him under their spell along with the rest of the children.

 _Robin looked at Roland who was sitting on his lap again at last as he then asked, "_ _Are you alright?"_

 _When the boy just nodded, the man Regina loved pulled out one of his arrows from its quiver lying on the ground beside him and held it out to his son, then continued, "All right, sit down. Tell me… What's this? What is this called?"_

 _"An arrow," Roland smartly replied._

 _"Yes," his father responded to him. "And where does this go?"_

 _His son simply whispered, "Flight."_

 _The archer smiled down at him and answered, "Flight, yeah."_

 _"Stay right there," he then asked of him upon seeing Regina walking towards him with a concerned look on her face and in her eyes and carefully sat him down where he remained close to both Little John and Will Scarlet while they continued working, as he stood up to close the gap between him and the woman he loved so they could talk._

 _"Regina?" he then questioned her once they were standing only inches apart._

 _She looked at him sadly and worryingly as she replied, "It's happening. You and your men need to scatter. You have to separate yourselves. All together like this with all these weapons? You'll kill each other once the spell hits."_

Robin nodded as he responded, "They know, Regina. I assure you they do. They're just spending as much time together as they can before this spell hits. My men and I… We're all very close. We're family and they're all very worried they're going to lose one another."

"Of course," she apprehensively answered him in understanding, then continued to look upon his face as she studied it and his eyes.

 _"What?" he then questioned her with concern while she was doing so. "Is there something else?"_

 _The Mayor then shook her head as she kept her eyes on him and replied softly, "No. I'm just trying to memorize you like this."_

 _The archer looked at her quizzically as he asked again, "Like what? Nervous and alarmed?"_

 _"No," she gently responded, as she smiled sadly at his attempt to uplift her spirits. "With love in your eyes. I told you what this spell is going to do."_

 _"Maybe it won't," Robin answered her again while he reached up to lay his hand tenderly over her cheek, wanting to believe that everything would be okay between them no matter what was coming._

 _However, Regina didn't have the faith he did, so she looked down in defeat as she replied adamantly, "It will. The only people who believe in me in this town are Henry and you. The thought of you looking at me the way everyone else does, with… with hatred… That just might kill me."_

 _He then lifted her chin to get her to look up at him again and then with confidence, he responded, "Stop thinking. We're here now. And this is true."_

And with that, he leaned in to kiss her lips tenderly and she gratefully reciprocated his passion. Finally, the two of them just embraced and held one another tightly in comfort until Regina at last pulled away from him so that she could return to town to rejoin with Emma, her parents, and Elsa as they began their search for Elsa's sister once Regina had received a message from the Savior asking her to meet up with them at the library now that they had a new plan that might actually work should they succeed in finding Anna.

A short time earlier…

Across town, after they walked out of Gold's shop upon talking with Belle until their conversation turned badly, Emma waited outside with Elsa while the beauty made up the locator's potion for them as fast as she was able to. Once she stepped outside to give it to them and returned inside to get back to work without another word, the Queen from Arendelle held up her sister's necklace again in the palm of her hand, while Emma carefully poured the potion over it so it could begin to help them find Anna.

 _"Okay," the Savior eagerly stated, until its effects immediately began to work as the stone within the center of the necklace began to glow. "Here you go. Ha!"_

 _"Is it supposed to do that?" Elsa nervously questioned her while she carefully observed the magic's effects._

 _Emma nodded as she answered, "Yeah. I know this spell. It gets brighter as you get closer to your goal. It's how my parents found each other."_

 _And then, when the magic within the necklace began to hum as the spell caused it to begin to pull in a single direction, the Queen of Arendelle momentarily stopped to look at her friend again while she excitedly asked, "Did you see that? That means it found her, right? She's out there?"_

 _"How about… Yeah," the younger woman replied, then pushed Elsa on ahead so that they could follow where the power over the necklace was leading them. "Come on. Don't stand here. Let's keep going."_

 _"The library?" Elsa then asked her again out of confusion, once the light within the stone guided them closer and closer to it. "But I've been inside before, and Anna wasn't there."_

 _The Savior continued to follow behind her while she responded, "The library's… Well, a funny place. There are all these tunnels underneath."_

 _The blonde with her hair pulled into a braid asked questioned, "You think she could be down there?"_

 _"Regina kept a whole dragon under there for twenty-eight years," Emma curtly answered upon remembering back to having to fight against Maleficent shortly after she had barely begun to believe in magic. "I'm sure you can fit a small princess too."_

 _"Yes," the Queen replied again quickly. "Frozen by the Snow Queen. That's why we never found Anna."_

 _The Savior shrugged as Elsa opened the door and she reached out to hold it for her so she could walk inside, then responded, "But now we will."_

Elsa nodded when she looked back at her friend and answered, "Yes… We will. I believe we will."

Once they were inside, Emma pulled out her phone and quickly sent off a text to her parents, to Regina, to Ruby, and to Grumpy, asking them all to meet them in the library so they could all come and help them in their search. Then together, she and Elsa continued to follow the light guiding them deeper inside, down into the mines.


	48. Chapter 48

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Forty-Eight

The humming from within the necklace grew louder and the glow from the jewel in its center only grew brighter, the further inside the tunnels they followed the spell's magic. And while Elsa's belief she would find Anna never faltered, Emma's did the deeper that they traveled within them and the longer it took for them to do so. After all, Elsa had come to Storybrooke through the Wicked Witch's time portal. It was possible Anna had come into Storybrooke whenever it was the Snow Queen had. However, the Savior very much doubted it. All they knew for sure was that Anna, Kristoff, and all of Arendelle had been frozen for the last thirty years like Ingrid finally revealed during her interrogation with her.

 _"It's brighter," Elsa at last called out to Emma once again, as they continued following the magical glow until it finally led them to nothing, but a dead end when they came upon a bare wall made of solid rock. "There. There! What? No… How can there be a barrier?"_

 _"Look how bright the glow is," she added in frustration as she looked between her sister's necklace and the wall now in front of them. "She must be practically right on the other side."_

 _She then called out, "Anna… are you there?"_

 _While both women moved in closer to it, Emma looked closely around the wall and the rocks in front of it while she responded sternly, "Look at this dust. It just recently fell. All the new ice spiking and earth shaking that the Snow Queen's been doing must've caused it."_

 _"I can move this," the Queen, whose sister was missing then stated, as she backed a few feet away from it and then raised her hands out while she prepared to use her powers to try to break the wall down, until Emma quickly reached out to grab her so she couldn't._

 _"No, Elsa… stop," she swiftly retorted. "As much as I enjoyed our last cave in, I don't wanna do it again._

 _Elsa looked at her in frustration as she pleaded, "But she's right there!"_

 _Emma nodded, then she looked into her eyes and answered assuredly, "Then we'll find another way."_

At last, Elsa understood that Emma was right, then followed her back through the tunnels so they could meet up with the Savior's parents and their friends who would undoubtedly be in the library waiting for them by now. And once they finally took the elevator back up, Emma's assumption they'd all be there turned out to be right.

"There you are," Regina gruffly said to them as they stepped out of the elevator and walked forward to join them. "What were you both doing down in the mines? And what's this new plan of yours?"

"Belle made us a locator potion we could use on Anna's necklace that Elsa has," the Savior finally replied when she got the chance. "Honestly, I'm not sure why we didn't think of doing so any sooner, but then things have been pretty crazy around here. My point is… we followed the necklace down into the mines, but it only led us to a solid rock wall. The spell is telling us Anna's possibly here somewhere within the wall, or just outside of it, but it doesn't really seem possible."

Mary Margaret shrugged as she responded, "It's possible that something might have gone wrong with the locator spell."

Elsa looked at the older Princess sadly as she asked, "But why would it do that? Of all the spells, or potions… or whatever we're dealing with… Why would this be the one not to work? I don't just want to find Anna anymore for my own sake and hers. We need to find her so she can save us all from Ingrid's dark spell and possibly even these ribbons around mine and Emma's wrists."

"Locator potions and spells are pretty difficult to get wrong, so I doubt that's what happened," Regina answered in concern, then looked away from their new friend from Arendelle and looked to Emma when she spoke again.

"Which is why I was thinking we could use a little help to knock the wall down," she replied, as the Savior turned her head to look over at Grumpy while he stood beside her father and then glanced back at Regina again as well. "Regina… could you quickly summon us a map of the mines?"

The Mayor did like Emma asked of her, then together with the dwarf's help too, they began to lay the map out on the table closest to them, while the Queen stated to her friend quietly, "By the way… Henry's still with Robin and his men in the woods. He wanted to stay to continue to help them pack up all their things. But he knows to come back into town to meet up with me just before the curse hits. I dropped Roland off with the fairies Blue assigned to look after the younger children, then I came right here. But I promise you, our son's perfectly safe."

Emma nodded as she responded, "I know he is. Thank you, Regina."

"All right, Leroy…" she continued again, while she then spoke to the grumpy dwarf now standing at the table beside her and pointed down at a certain area upon the map to indicate where she was speaking of. "This is about where Anna's necklace led us. There's a large, solid wall between us and her, barring our way. That is… if Anna is even down there somewhere. Do you think you and the rest of the dwarfs could help us to break it down?"

 _"Sure… me and the guys can clear the tunnel," he answered her, after he took a few moment to study the map and the area Emma was indicating with her finger. "We'll have to work careful, but we can do it."_

 _It was then that David's phone rang, as he stepped away from them so he could talk more privately, then Elsa spoke up again anxiously saying, "Let's go now."_

 _Emma raised her hand to motion for her friend from Arendelle to be patient, then she asked Grumpy again, "Leroy… how long to clear the passage?"_

 _"Couple of hours maybe," he then replied while he thought for a few more seconds. "We can get right on it."_

 _"That's wonderful," Elsa quietly said to him._

 _However, Regina retorted more curtly, "We don't have a couple hours. Have you guys not been watching the clock? It'll be sundown before you munchkins finish."_

 _Grumpy glared up at her as he responded crossly, "Dwarfs, sister."_

 _"Like I care," she snidely answered him out of frustration, then looked between the others surrounding them. "Let's just blast through and take the risk."_

 _"That was Belle over at the diner," David suddenly called out once he hung up his phone and then came back over to join them. "It turns out they can possibly make the counter spell even if we don't find Anna. They can pull the mirror dust out of the necklace and try to use that."_

 _Mary Margaret looked over at her husband as she asked, "It's exactly the same?"_

 _The Prince turned to her as well while he replied, "Almost. It'll take a little longer. The process is difficult and…"_

 _"It will destroy the necklace," he then finished worryingly after he paused a moment and looked between Elsa and his daughter._

 _"So the necklace can either save all of us, or Anna," the Savior sternly responded, as she looked around at everyone, then stopped her eyes on their friend from Arendelle._

 _Elsa shook her head as she answered sadly, "No… It can do both. We have time."_

 _The former Evil Queen looked at the other blonde as she replied to her crossly, "We don't. Exploring these tunnels could take days."_

 _"So what'll it be, folks?" Leroy then asked again while he looked between his friends around him as well, as he asked, "Save the town, or find the sister?"_

 _"This shouldn't even be a conversation," Regina retorted again in frustration, as Elsa stepped away from them to try to absorb the decision of losing her only possible chance at finding Anna. "If we don't get the necklace to the fairies right now, we and all our loved ones will be hit by this vicious spell. It's one woman's life versus a whole town."_

 _However, Emma wasn't quite ready to give up on helping her friend either and so she responded softly, "Maybe we just haven't found an option where we don't have to lose anyone."_

 _Her mother smiled as she let out a soft chortle despite leaning more towards Regina's choice and answered her daughter, "Mm… you're talking like a hero."_

 _The former Evil Queen looked between the Savior, Emma, and David while she replied snidely, "Yes… like all you Charmings always do. But right now, that's not your job. You're more than heroes. You're leaders… which means making the tough choice where someone has to lose, and you have to say who."_

 _"I agree with Regina," Mary Margaret then sadly responded, and looked over at her friend and stepmother as she shrugged. "You're right."_

 _"Yeah… I heard it too," Emma despondently answered as well when the Mayor looked over at her in surprise upon hearing the woman with the most hope agree with her, while David simply nodded his own agreement without saying anything more._

 _"We need to do what's best for the most people," her mother replied once again. "We need to give this town its best chance."_

 _When Elsa came back over to join with her friends again upon hearing what she was afraid she had, David looked at her and spoke apologetically saying, "I'm so sorry, but we have to let the fairies destroy that necklace."_

 _Without saying a word, she walked away again and this time, Emma followed her to try to comfort her friend upon seeing her begin to cry, while the Prince whispered between his wife and Regina, "This can't be easy."_

 _They watched on as the Savior spoke with Elsa, then at last the Queen of Arendelle handed over her purse she kept her sister's necklace in and once it was in her hand, Emma gently patted her friend's shoulder, then returned to her parents, Regina, and Leroy again. After she did so, everyone failed to see Elsa enter the elevator again, then disappear within it as she took the lift back down into the tunnels with Anna's necklace which she concealed from everyone, after she handed Emma her bag that they were all unaware now contained nothing but pebbles she had taken from within the mine she and her friend from this land had been in earlier in case something like this were to happen._


	49. Chapter 49

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Forty-Nine

It didn't take long for Gold and Hook to walk from the harbor back to Granny's, and once they arrived, Killian pulled the hat out from behind his back upon keeping it hidden the best he could from the sights of any onlookers who passed by them on the streets. The Captain then hesitated where he stood, as he stared ahead of him at the diner in reluctance upon knowing exactly what it was he was about to be forced to do under the Dark One's command. He was about to destroy his friends' last chance at stopping the Snow Queen's curse.

 _Unfortunately, Gold turned back to him when he noticed that Hook had stopped following him, then he coldly commanded, "_ _Go around the back and wait. You'll know when you're needed."_

Killian looked at him defeatedly and then pleaded, "Why can't you just wait to do this after Belle and the fairies succeed in their task? You'll have another chance. Why must you condemn everyone to this fate?"

"Because… the Snow Queen's plans will allow me to escape from this forsaken town once I cleave myself from my dagger by killing you, without the risk of anyone following after me to try to stop me ever again," the villain snidely answered his enemy. "I can't have Emma, or the Charmings, or anyone else coming after me once they learn what comes of you. That is of course, if they really care enough about you to do so. Now go around back and wait for when you're needed, as I've ordered you to. No more hesitating, pirate."

The younger man nodded, then at last walked between the structure and the branches of the tree beside it to do as was demanded of him, so he could enter inside through the back door to wait. The Dark One on the other hand, walked inside the diner through its front door and as he did so, it was clear that Blue and the rest of the fairies weren't happy to see him enter. And from the look on his wife's face, he could see that she too wasn't all too happy to see him either. He just didn't realize her reluctance was because the Savior had tried to tell her the truth about all he'd done.

 _"What do you want?" the Blue Fairy curtly asked him from behind the counter, as she paused in her work upon seeing the villain walk inside and begin to make his way towards Belle._

 _He looked between Mother Superior and Belle as he responded sternly, "Excuse me, but I'd like to borrow my wife. I need her at the shop for a short while."_

 _Hook quietly entered inside through the back door, careful not to make a sound as he closed the door behind him when he entered, then stood by to wait, while Blue walked around from the bar to confront the villain and replied to Gold, "She's working. We need her."_

 _"Mother Superior's right," Belle said to her husband while she walked up to him. "This is too important. We're really close here. Please… please be patient."_

 _"Of course," the Dark One answered her in understanding. "Well… until you can go, I'll just… uh… I'll just keep you company. Perhaps I'll be helpful."_

 _The fairies' leader looked at him coldly as she responded, "This is light magic, Dark One."_

 _Gold nodded and then replied, "Well then, maybe I'll learn something."_

 _He then turned away and headed to the large booth in the corner of the diner by the window so he could take a seat to wait for his wife to be willing to come with him. A few minutes later, Emma, David, Mary Margaret, Ruby, Regina, and Henry all suddenly entered as well in a hurry once they left the library with what they believed was Anna's necklace._

 _"The necklace," the beauty immediately asked Emma, when she came over to join them when the Savior pulled out the blue purse from her coat pocket. "Do you have it?"_

 _"It's right here," Emma swiftly answered, as she handed the bag over to Belle, who then quickly handed it off to Blue so she could add it to their counter spell._

 _However, when Blue opened the purse to pour out the necklace into her hand, only tiny pebbles fell out, then the fairy looked around at her friends who just arrived while she spoke in surprise saying, "It's pebbles from the mine."_

 _Feeling just as surprised, Emma questioned in disbelief, "What?"_

 _"Where is it?" Mary Margaret sternly asked, as she began to realize what had happened like Regina had as well._

 _"She tricked us so she can use it… to keep tracking down her damn sister!" the former Evil Queen angrily responded. "I should know better than to trust blondes by now."_

 _The Savior looked between her family and friends as she replied nervously, "We should go back and get it."_

 _However, Belle shook her head in discouragement while she answered, "No, it's… It's too late."_

 _"Too late?" Mary Margaret immediately retorted in disbelief as well. "Already?!"_

 _"By the time you get back here… yes," the beauty sadly responded. "Without Anna being here physically, there's no way to make a counter spell in time."_

 _Regina glanced over at her stepdaughter as she asked her snidely, "Time for a hope speech? Virtues of blind faith?"_

 _However, much to Regina's surprise, Mary Margaret replied in frustration, "Well… it seems Elsa's blind faith is exactly what's screwing us right now."_

 _"Coming from you, that's just terrifying," the Mayor muttered, then looked over at Emma when she spoke again._

 _"Well… I'm not giving up," she resolutely answered and looked between everyone surrounding her. "I know she's down in the mines looking for Anna. I'm gonna go help Elsa find her."_

Ruby immediately responded, "I'm coming with you. Please… I need to do something."

 _David nodded as he looked between them and replied, "Well… then go. Because right now that's our only shot."_

And with their minds made up, Emma and Ruby swiftly left the diner once more so they could return to the library and down into the mines where they hoped they would find the Queen of Arendelle looking for a way to find her sister on the other side of the rock wall, which Elsa believed was standing between them.

 _"Elsa!" the Savior finally called out to her friend, once she and Ruby found her at last shortly after stepping off the elevator, down inside the tunnel that wasn't too far away from where Emma and Elsa had been earlier upon being led to the wall by Anna's necklace._

 _"I'm sorry!" the Queen cried back to them. "I have to try this!"_

Without hesitation, Elsa swiftly raised her hands out in front of her and discharged her powers against the rock wall barring her way with the hope of breaking through it to find Anna at last. Emma and Ruby looked over at one another and took a few steps back and waited by, as they too hoped that their friend's faith that she would find her sister, would pay off.


	50. Chapter 50

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Fifty

In Arendelle…

The forest beyond the castle was vast and easy to get lost in unless those who traveled through it had someone to guide them, who knew it as well as themselves. Thankfully, both Kristoff and Anna knew the forest well. Especially the Ice Master, as Kristoff grew up on his own within it after his parents were killed when he was just a small boy until he met Sven, then had been taken in to live with the rock trolls. However, the forest was also treacherous and unpredictable for anyone, no matter who they were or how well they knew their way through it.

While they continued to make their way as fast as they could towards the small harbor where they could find themselves someone who could row them to the nearest port upon learning that Black Beard had arrived in Arendelle, Anna spoke to Kristoff as she told him more about her confrontations with Rumplestiltskin. And the more she explained to him and described the kind of man this villain was, the more he was grateful they were running towards confronting a pirate Captain with a foul reputation instead, even though he wasn't happy about either choice.

"We're almost there, Kristoff," Anna then excitedly exclaimed, when she finally saw a view of the ocean through the trees not much further in front of them. "I can see the ocean."

"Good," he frustratingly stated out of relief, then slowed down. "Then we'll finally be able to rest a bit. My feet are killing me. And don't say that it's because of my boots, because the shape of them have nothing to do with my feet hurting."

Anna smiled at him as she slowed her own pace as well in order to stay alongside of the man she loved. However, it was barely a few moments later, when their path down to the ocean was swiftly blocked, as the rest of Hans' twelve brothers who hadn't been with the traitorous Prince and the other three, suddenly surrounded them. Unfortunately, neither Kristoff nor Anna had any weapons on them to use in their defense, on account of them having to flee from their own castle in a hurry so they could escape before.

Kristoff swiftly pulled his fiancée in close to him and did his best to keep himself between her and the threats before them, while Anna looked between the big men surrounding them as she questioned, "But how… how did you find us? How did you even know to come looking for us?"

One of the brothers spoke up for the others as he replied, "We didn't. But we knew that Hans and the rest of us were trying to capture you and your oaf here before we were all frozen by that ice witch's magic."

Another of them continued, "And when we saw you running through the forest far away from the castle, we knew you had outsmarted our brother once again and escaped from him."

"Please… just let us go," the Princess began to plead with them, hoping that she could convince them they weren't worth the trouble. "Surely the rest of you don't feel the need to rule our kingdom as well as your own. I mean… isn't one of you the ruler of the Southern Isles already? Or… you will be? Why are you even following Hans in this foolish endeavor? I didn't think you even liked him all that much."

"I don't think that's really helping," Kristoff whispered to her, while the men all around them began to laugh.

At last, the oldest of all the thirteen brothers, and rightful heir to his throne stepped forward as he answered smugly, "Your Ice Master and Deliverer is right, Princess. You reminding us of how much of a sniveling little fool our youngest brother is doesn't really help you. We're actually kind of impressed Hans has been brave enough to try to conquer your kingdom. Foolish, but brave. Even if it is a kingdom as small and weak such as Arendelle."

Anna glared at him while she responded angrily, "Arendelle isn't weak! Or small. It may not be as big as the Southern Isles is… even though I don't actually know all that much about your kingdom. And it may not have as big of an army as you have. But we're brave and we will fight you to protect Arendelle from the likes of you and Hans with every ounce of strength we have! You're not so tough."

"Anna!" Kristoff then suddenly shouted, when two of the men stepped forward and attempted to pull her away from him, until he swiftly swung his fist hard enough to strike one brother across his face to force him back, then kicked another roughly in his chest, succeeding in knocking him down to the ground. "Run, Anna! Get out of here!"

"I'm not leaving without you!" she shouted back at the man she loved, then began to fight against those who started to attack him, while they both fought with all the strength they had despite the number of men now surrounding them as they drew themselves in closer to apprehend them. "What are we going to do, Kristoff?"

Sensing that these men had no intention of taking them as their prisoners, the Princess' fiancé cried out to her, "Hold on, Anna! We're going to be… alright. Just don't stop fighting."

Thankfully, Anna managed to get one of the men's swords away from them, then thrust it deep within the Prince's shoulder. Kristoff also managed to grab one of their swords as well, but he didn't have it in his hand for long, when he was suddenly struck hard in the back of his head from behind him by the hilts of another's sword and the blow was enough to knock him to his knees.

Just when Anna and Kristoff believed they were about to be killed, Sven suddenly came charging into the circle of Princes surrounding his closest friends, along with Olaf, who rode in on the reindeer's back as the snowman yelled, "Charge!"

And then, the Captain of Arendelle's Royal Guard, along with half a dozen other soldiers charged in not far behind the reindeer and snowman in order to fight for their Princess and her soon to be husband upon learning that Hans and his brothers had invaded their kingdom once again to try to steal it away from them.

"Run, Your Highness!" the Captain shouted out to them once he and the men cleared a small path for them to be able to escape through as they continued to fight their enemies. "Go find your sister. Bring her home!"

"Sven… no!" Kristoff suddenly cried out when he then saw that Sven was about to be shot by the heir of the Southern Isles after the Prince pulled a pistol from his belt.

However, Kristoff immediately jumped between the reindeer and the musket ball once it was fired to protect him, as the projectile struck him high in his left shoulder, causing Kristoff to fall hard against the ground while he painfully cried out upon taking the hit meant to kill his closest friend.

As soon as Anna heard the man she loved cry out in pain just after she heard the shot from behind her, she spun around and swiftly ran to her fiancée's side to help him stand back on his feet. Then, together with Sven's and Olaf's help, the Princess and the Ice Master fled the battle so they could continue on with their mission to find Elsa, who would be able to take care of Prince Hans and his treacherous brothers once and for all as soon as she returned to Arendelle and took her place as the rightful ruler of their kingdom. The Captain of the Guard and his men continued to fight long enough for them to escape, until they were then captured in Anna's and Kristoff's place upon becoming outnumbered and overpowered.


	51. Chapter 51

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Fifty-One

While Mary Margaret, David, Henry, and Regina gathered with Blue and the rest of the fairies to talk with them about further possible options, Belle walked over to rejoin her husband again in the booth where he was sitting and from the look of concern on her face, Gold knew that something was deeply troubling her and he suspected then that Emma must have said something to her about what he'd been doing behind her back. Emma was angry with him for what she knew he had done to her pirate, so it was likely she would have gone to the woman he loved in retaliation to try to turn the beauty against him.

The villain looked at her with tenderness in his eyes when he spoke softly saying, "I can see that you're feeling uneasy, Belle. Please… tell me what's troubling you."

She looked at him sadly, then she shook her head as she responded, "Perhaps now isn't the time, or place."

"Then let's get out of here and return to my shop," Gold anxiously replied to her and took her hands into his own as if to help encourage her to leave with him. "Or back home. Anywhere we can talk more privately. Nothing's going on right now. The fairies are at a standstill until Emma and Ruby return with Elsa and her necklace, or possibly even the sister."

"I can't leave now, Rumple," Belle answered him. "They could be back at any moment and as soon as they are, we will need to enact the counter spell right away if we're going to stop the Snow Queen's spell."

The Charmings and Regina walked past them to leave the diner after they finished talking with the fairies, and Blue walked back inside the kitchen to continue working on what was left to be done in her own work, then the Dark One looked back at his wife again while he responded quietly, "All right… then let's talk right here. The fairies are busy, so they won't be paying attention to us. And I understand why you can't leave until you know for sure that everything is as it needs to be, but I need to know that things between you and me… are okay. Because right now, I'm sensing that they're not."

The beauty nodded, then she looked at him and said to him reluctantly, "You're right. I mean… you haven't done anything to upset me exactly. At least… nothing that I'm sure of and I don't want to believe it's true, Rumple. Because I know you're a good man and you've worked so hard to change. It's just… Emma told me some things this afternoon. Things that I don't want to believe you would do."

"I assure you, Belle… I've done nothing you need fear," her husband deceptively replied to her. "In fact, I'm not sure why Miss Swan would say otherwise, seeing as last night I did nothing more than try to help her when she was still struggling against her magic after she lost control over it. Thankfully, she didn't need to go through with the solution I had come up with to help her to rid herself of her powers because Elsa was there to help her somehow, but I did as the Savior wanted. Nothing more."

"Are you saying that Emma might have misinterpreted your intentions to help her?" she asked him, when a part of her began to feel a little better because she so desperately wanted to believe in him, though her instincts were still telling her that something about the man she loved was wrong.

Gold shrugged and then answered, "It's possible. I did warn her that the spell I cast wasn't without its risks and that she might get hurt. Because the kind of spell that I cast to rid someone as powerful as the Savior of their magic, is a very powerful spell that could have been quite dangerous had she gone through with it."

Belle looked down as she contemplated what he was telling her, then the villain laid his hand beneath her chin to lift her head again as he questioned, "Is there something else troubling you, Belle?"

"No," she quickly stated, then sighed in frustration before she continued on by asking him about something more Emma had told her. "Actually… that's not… She also told me that you blackmailed Killian into helping you to take your revenge out on Zelena upon learning she survived whatever it was that happened to her that day in her cell. You promised me you didn't kill her back then, so I don't want to believe that you had anything to do with her disappearance now. But she said Killian trapped her and some old man in some magical hat because you couldn't do so on your own. She told me you hurt him to get him to help you. Please… please tell me that none of this is true. I want to believe you, Rumple. Because I love you, but…"

"Hook has done nothing but twist my good intentions to help all of you fight against the Snow Queen," the Dark One finally responded again before she could go on with anymore of Emma's accusations. "Like Emma appears to be, he's even more unhappy that I supposedly tried to hurt the woman he loves. The pirate hasn't changed as much as everyone else seems to believe. And Emma has even seen for herself first hand that it's true. But that's neither here nor there. The truth is… I did entrap both Zelena and this old man inside a magical hat I've recently come into possession of with Hook's help. In order to gather enough magic to help us to defeat the Snow Queen. For the magic to work, I needed their power, which the hat has absorbed. I assure you, both are fine. And I can free them once I use it to defeat the Snow Queen. It might not have been right not to have discussed it with you or the others first before we did so, but both Zelena and this old man are dangerous people who were a threat to us all. Like Pan was. So I did what I could to protect us against them, and so we can use them against our more urgent threat. I just fear it will be for nothing, unless I can figure out a way to collect enough magic in order to enact the spell needed against the Snow Queen."

Belle looked at him warily, wanting to believe in him and while for the most part she did because he had confessed to doing something wrong for the right reasons, there was still a small part of her that feared he wasn't being completely truthful with her. Gold then laid his hand over her face to caress her right cheek and was about to ask her if she believed him, until the Blue Fairy interrupted him.

Upon seeing the worry in her friend's eyes, Blue looked down at her as she asked, "I'm sorry for the interruption, Belle, but… I could really use your help. There's still a little work to be done before Emma and Ruby get back with Elsa and her sister, and there's little time. Are you alright?"

The beauty quickly nodded as she replied, "Of course. I'm fine. I'll be right there."

"She's right," Gold said to his wife sternly, as he looked between the fairies continuing to work, while they glanced towards him coldly from time to time, unafraid to show their disdain for him being there. "You should get back to work. Are we alright again?"

"We can talk about this some more later once we've hopefully stopped this curse from coming and defeat the Snow Queen," his wife answered him, then leaned in to kiss him briefly before she pulled away when she stood up. "But for now… yes, we're fine. I promise. I believe you, Rumple. So please… continue to be patient a little bit longer. We're almost there."

The villain nodded and smiled up at her before she finally turned to return to working alongside the fairies. Once he was sitting alone again, Gold then looked towards the back entryway where he knew Hook was still silently standing by waiting for him to leave at last with Belle so he could pull the fairies into the Sorcerer's hat for him, and smiled cruelly, anxious to see the fairies at last pay for all they've ever done against him. The wait wouldn't be much longer.


	52. Chapter 52

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Fifty-Two

Once they were clear of the battle still going on between their Royal Guard and the rest of Hans' brothers, Anna and Olaf worryingly helped Kristoff climb up onto Sven's back so the reindeer could carry his friend, instead of him having to walk after he had been pretty seriously wounded. Anna then climbed up behind him so she could keep her fiancé steady, as he continued to fall in and out of consciousness over the course of the next few hours while they journeyed to someone Anna knew could help them.

"I thought you were going to find Elsa?" their snowman friend finally asked Anna, when he broke the silence that had fallen over them upon them all being worried about Kristoff not too long after they headed off in the opposite direction from their initial destination. "The ocean wasn't far from where we were. I could see it."

"We need to get Kristoff help, Olaf," the Princess sadly answered him, as she tightened her hold around his upper body while Kristoff continued to lean heavily against Sven's head and neck. "He's going to be fine, but… We can't help Elsa, until Kristoff's okay too. And we most certainly can't confront pirates with him in this condition."

Olaf looked down at her while he remained sitting on Sven's antlers and excitedly exclaimed, "We're going to see pirates?"

However, Anna shook her head, then replied, "No… Kristoff and I are. You and Sven are going to return to the barn outside of the castle where I know you'll both remain safe. So long as you don't run out again. We can't worry about you too. Not that we weren't happy to see you when you charged in to protect us."

"But we didn't protect you," the snowman sadly responded again as he looked down at his wounded friend. "Kristoff still got hurt."

"We would have die… died if you didn't come… along when you did," the Ice Master then answered him before she could, as Sven whinnied and Olaf squealed in delight upon seeing him awake and hearing him talking again, while Kristoff struggled to lift himself away from his friend's body as he pet Sven comfortingly, then turned around enough to look at the woman he loved upon feeling her sitting on the reindeer's back behind him. "Thank… thank you, Olaf. And Sven. Anna… are you… Are you alright? What… what happened?"

Anna tightened her hold around him again as she leaned around him enough so they could look at one another, then out of relief she replied, "Oh, Kristoff… thank goodness you're alright. Or… at least about as alright as you can be after you've been shot. Don't worry. I'm okay. Scared I was going to lose you, but… I wasn't hurt, except for maybe just my hands from hitting a few of Hans' brothers across their ugly faces. And right now, we're on our way to get you some help. We need bandages and hopefully some medicine to help to keep you from getting sick or the wound from getting infected. I don't think the musket ball's still in you anymore, but…"

He finally cut her off as he interrupted, "Anna… I'm fine. Or at least, I will… I will be in time. But where are we? The ocean was… so close and now we're moving… further away from it?"

"We're on our way to Oaken's," the Princess responded worryingly. "We'll be safe there for a bit. And don't argue with me… we're almost there. Don't worry… I doubt thirteen Princes have ever stepped foot inside, or even know where Oaken's is for that matter. At least, we can stay there long enough for you to get back on your feet."

"We don't have… time," Kristoff answered her in frustration, as the pain in his upper shoulder flared again until he reached up to lay his hand over the wound and finally noticed the makeshift bandages around his shoulder and his arm where he'd been shot, made from the torn cloth of Anna's petticoat beneath her skirt so she could help stifle his blood seeping out from the wound. "You said it yourself… We have to find Elsa. She's the only one who… who can stop Hans and his bro… brothers. She can save Arendelle."

She sighed in concern and then Anna replied sadly, "Yes… that's true. But Kristoff… I won't lose you so I can save my sister. I can't. So… we're going to Oaken's, you're going to let me bandage your wound properly and see if I can't at least get the bleeding to stop, and you're going to rest long enough so you can get back on your feet. That way, we can confront Black Beard and his crew together. Because I won't stand a chance without you."

Sven then began to grunt with determination as if to show his friend that he agreed with Anna, then Olaf stated firmly, "That's right, Kristoff. We're going. No more arguing."

"All right… all right…" the Ice Master relented to them at last. "Fine. We'll go to Oaken's. I'm just not sure how much help… he'd be willing to… to give me. I'm still not sure if he's forgive… forgiven me for calling him a… crook."

"He has," she happily exclaimed. "He's accepted your apologies the last two times we've gone there. And I spoke to him. Plus… he likes me. So because I love you, of course he likes you now."

At last, they finally arrived and once Anna helped Kristoff down from Sven's back, as the reindeer laid down on the freshly thawed ground now that the Snow Queen's spell had finally worn off so that his friend could climb off easier, she looked between Sven and Olaf while she spoke firmly saying, "The two of you need to wait out here, or in the barn. I'll take care of Kristoff, then we'll be right back out."

Olaf looked up at her as he questioned, "Why can't I come in? People know me now."

"Because… we need you to keep Sven… company," Kristoff responded, then allowed his fiancée to pull his good arm around her shoulders so she could help him walk inside.

"Okay!" the snowman shouted out to them as they walked away from them, then he led Sven towards the barn nearby where they could wait for their friends to return. "Let's go, Sven."

Once they entered the trading post, Oaken greeted them from behind his nook like always as he called out, "Yoo-hoo! Welcome back to Oaken's Trading Post and Sauna. How are you today, Princess Anna?"

While she struggled to continue to hold up her love's weight as he leaned against her despite his efforts to stand the best he could on his own, Anna turned them around to face their friend as she answered gruffly, "As you can see… we've been… better. Please… we need your help, Oaken. Kristoff… he's been wounded."

"Yes… I see," the big man replied to her, as he quickly stood and made his way out from around the counter so he could help the Princess and her fiancé, then helped Kristoff to sit down on the floor in the back of the room in front of two large bags of flour where he could lean back against them. "I'm so sorry. You wish to buy some bandages… no? And some medicine?"

"Yes we would," Anna anxiously responded, as she then knelt down in front of the man she loved once Oaken stepped away to get her the items she needed. "Thank you, Oaken. We're sorry to come in here looking for your help like this. It's just that… well, we were attacked by horrible men who were trying to kill us. Because they wanted to rule Arendelle. Me and Kristoff… we are on our way to find Elsa."

Kristoff looked up at her worryingly as he asked, "Are you sure you want to… tell him everything, Anna?"

She looked into his eyes as she answered, "He's our friend, Kristoff. I trust him. I know that he would throw Hans or any of the rest of his twelve brothers out, just like he did to you when you called him a crook."

"Please don't remind him of that," he then asked of her, then laid his head back against one of the flour bags behind him and started to close his eyes upon growing weary and much weaker than before.

"I haven't forgotten," Oaken replied when he returned with some fresh bandages and some medicine like the Princess asked for, then handed them down to her so she could care for Kristoff. "But you seemed to be having a rough day that day, like you are having a rough day again. So I forgive you."

Kristoff raised his head so he could look up at him through tired eyes and then responded quietly, "I am sorry. Truly… sorry. Thank you, Oaken."

The big man smiled down at him as he answered, "You're both welcome. You are welcome to stay here, or out in the barn if you prefer… for as long as you need to. Since the freeze has gone away again, I've yet to see anyone come into my trading post or sauna yet."

"We appreciate that, but we are actually in a bit of a hurry," the Princess worryingly replied, then she briefly looked away from the man she loved to turn her attention back on their friend again while she spoke to him. "We need to make our way down to the nearest port where we believe we'll find a pirate Captain we have to talk to about a special trade. So we can find my sister. Do you think someone in your family would be able to give us a lift down to the ocean front where we can find someone to row us there in their boat?"

"I think… we can do better," Oaken responded. "A few members of my family are here now. In the sauna, and I'm certain one or two of them would be happy to take you all the way to the port themselves. They can take our wagon to where we have a boat, ride with it down to the ocean, and then head into port for more supplies. When would you like to go?"

Anna gripped Kristoff's hand happily, then she answered, "Tonight. As Soon as I tend to Kristoff's wound and make sure he'll be okay. He can ride in the back of the wagon and rest on our way. And by the time we get into port sometime tomorrow evening, he should be well enough to face off against any fearsome pirate."

The owner of the trading post smiled at them and then he replied, "I will talk to my family then."

"Thank you so much," she sincerely said to him, then quickly stood up again to hug him to help show him her gratitude, until she suddenly remembered Sven and Olaf were out in the barn. "Oh… right now our reindeer and a friend are staying out in your barn already. We were hoping they could stay for awhile. For however long we'll be gone looking for my sister. That way, we'll know they'll be safe too. Would that be all right?"

"For another hug, they can both stay for as long as they want to," Oaken eagerly responded to her, and Anna wrapped her arms around him the best she could once again to embrace him gratefully. "Now, take care of your boyfriend and the both of you try to get some rest. I will let you know as soon as you can leave. You're safe here."

Kristoff looked up at Anna again weakly as she questioned, "Are you sure you… really want to do this?"

She gently laid her hand over his forehead to feel for a fever, then she whispered, "We have to. And you're going to be alright, Kristoff. Then tomorrow we're going to get Elsa back and Arendelle will finally be safe again. We'll be safe and then… we can finally get married."


	53. Chapter 53

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Fifty-Three

Still within the mines beneath Storybrooke…

 _Elsa continued to emit her powers against the rock surface until the wall gave way at last as her ice magic blasted a hole right through it, and when she and the two women still standing behind her walked out into the sunlight, they were surprised to find themselves where they never expected, while the Savior stared out at the ocean, then uttered, "_ _The beach? That map couldn't have been any more wrong."_

 _The Queen of Arendelle looked all around her while she ran out from the tunnel to walk further along the sandy shore, then she spoke out of concern and confusion saying, "I don't understand. She should be here."_

 _"Elsa… I'm sorry," Emma remorsefully replied to her once she and Ruby followed after her. "Magic isn't always perfect."_

 _"So… even though it's still glowing, because she's not here, it means…" their friend sadly responded, as she looked down at the still glowing stone within her sister's necklace, until she cut herself off upon realizing what she was afraid to admit._

 _Regretfully, the Savior finished for her, "…the search is over. Thirty years is a long time."_

 _Elsa finally turned around to face her friends while she looked between them and asked despondently, "You think something's happened to her… and this has all been a mistake?"_

 _"I think we need to deal with the problem in front of us right now," Emma answered her again. "I'm sorry."_

"If we come through all this, then defeat the Snow Queen once and for all, surely we can continue to search for answers as to what happened to your sister," Ruby then said to her to offer her some kind of peace of mind.

Emma reached out to lay her hands over her friend's arms to try to get the older woman to look at her while she assuredly replied, "Ruby's right, Elsa. I promise you… we will help you find out the truth. But right now…"

 _However, Elsa suddenly pulled away from her, then kept walking along the beach and continued to follow the necklace's glow while she responded, "I'm sorry, Emma. But I still have faith. I still believe she's…"_

"What?" Ruby asked her once Elsa suddenly cut herself off again, this time as she stared down at the necklace again in despair. "What's wrong, Elsa?"

 _"It stopped glowing," the Queen fearfully answered her._

 _The Savior shook her head, then with sincerity, she replied, "I'm sorry."_

 _Elsa's voice broke while she despondently continued to stare down at Anna's necklace and responded, "She's really gone. This was my present for Anna for her wedding. It was among my mother's things, but to us… it was new. And I turned it into the last gift I ever gave her."_

 _"Elsa… I'm so sorry, but it's almost sundown," Emma sadly pleaded with her to understand, as she then turned her head towards the rumbling and lightning in the sky as the curse continued to advance down on them, before looking again at her friends. "That cloud is gonna hit any time. We have to go. Everyone's gonna turn on each other, and something tells me that being immune to the curse is not gonna stop them from attacking us."_

 _"I failed," the woman with ice magic coldly answered upon feeling defeated, then she began to cry. "I deserve to be attacked. This… This is all I have left of Anna. Now I'll never know what happened to her."_

Ruby walked over to stand in front of her and pulled Elsa into her arms to hold her so she could comfort her as much as she was able. Elsa broke down and cried even harder, so Emma joined with them as she also wrapped her arms around her new friend from behind her, then together they stood there for several minutes despite their need to return to Granny's Diner.

A short time later…

Killian continued to stand silently in the back while he listened to the fairies and Belle talking as they worked. Even Gold spoke amongst them a few times, yet nothing anyone spoke could make him really focus on the words being said. The Captain thought of Emma and her every effort to try to help Elsa to find her sister, while knowing she was now having to plead with their friend to give up the necklace if they were to have any of hope of stopping the curse.

Both of them were being forced to do something they hated to have to do and yet, the Savior was doing so for the protection of those she's been fighting to protect since her arrival in Storybrooke. Yet he was being forced to steal away everyone's last hope in stopping the terrible spell about to come over them, that might very well destroy everyone he loved and cared about.

The truth was, it didn't matter to him that he was only doing so because the Dark One demanded he do so, or that he was completely helpless to stop it. What did matter to him, was that all of this happening was his fault and now he was too late to make amends. Or at least, he believed the fault was on him alone.

Of course the Snow Queen had cast the curse, and had broken down Emma's confidence within herself so she could succeed in her plans for her and Elsa. And Gold used this to his own advantage when he tried to steal Emma's powers by nearly killing her. And yet, the pirate could blame only himself because he put himself into an alliance with a man he knew the true nature of all along, and all for selfish reasons.

All of a sudden, Killian was finally pulled form his thoughts when he at last heard Belle tell the Dark One and the fairies that Anna was on her way. Somehow, Emma, Ruby, and Elsa must have found her sister after all, which meant that they were all on their way back to the diner with her.

So when the Captain peered around the corner upon hearing his enemy encouraging Belle to leave with him so the fairies could finish their task, he saw the Crocodile nod in his direction to signal that the time had finally come for him to use the Sorcerer's hat against the magical beings and then watched him leave with his wife. Killian breathed in and out as he prepared himself for the inevitable.


	54. Chapter 54

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Fifty-Four

By early evening the next day, Anna and Kristoff arrived at the port closest to their home that was nearly a day's journey from Oaken's Trading Post by wagon on land, and then by boat when they reached the ocean once more. Oaken's father and one of his sisters led the wagon to bring them to the port, while Anna rode with her fiancé in the back as Kristoff slept, or rested as comfortably as he was able to despite the wound in his shoulder making the journey for him more painful than he was willing to admit to anyone. Thankfully, they didn't run into any more trouble, as they suspected that Hans' brothers made their way to the castle to rejoin Hans and the other three Princes with him.

 _"_ _That was the slowest boat ride ever," the Princess grumbled after they said goodbye to their friends upon reaching the docks within the port, then she began to stretch in order to straighten out her back, while Kristoff did the same and laid his hand again over his shoulder to try to rub away as much of his pain still lingering so he wouldn't reveal to Black Beard or the other pirates he was hurt._

"Are you sure you're feeling alright," Anna worryingly asked him, then she turned to look him in his eyes when she saw him reach up to his wound. "Because I can totally do this alone, you know? I'm plenty capable of protecting myself and I don't think Black Beard's going to be as much trouble as we think…"

The Ice Master finally laid his other hand over her mouth to stop her from talking again and then responded, "Anna… I'm fine. I promise. I got plenty of rest on our way here. And I hope you're right about this Black Beard fellow, but if you're not… I'm not going to let you talk to him on your own. Don't worry about me. I won't let him or any of his crew know I was ever hurt."

She smiled up at him and leaned in close to kiss his lips, then pulled back again as she answered, "You're a good man, Kristoff. Not nearly as much of a fixer upper like your family said you were. You're just the kind of man I was looking for in my life."

"That's funny… I was thinking the same about you," Kristoff joked with her and smiled to get her to laugh. "Except with you being… a woman that is. Not a man. Well… you know what I mean."

 _"Oh… That must be Black Beard's ship!" Anna then excitedly exclaimed once they finally turned inward towards the ship docked just a few feet further in front of them, then slowly began to walk towards it. "Okay… Now, we need to find a crewman and tell him we wanna meet with Black Beard, because he has something we're willing to pay anything for."_

 _Kristoff nodded while he listened to her, then in agreement he stated, "Right."_

 _And then, upon hearing the young woman mention that they were willing to pay a pretty sum for something in his possession, a man with a long curly haired wig and beard, wearing a Captain's hat, a long red coat with black lapels, and a sword whereupon he kept his hand firmly over its hilt, worn within a scabbard at his side, suddenly appeared above them on top of the ship's gangplank as he called out to them smugly, "Ah… someone is playing my song. I'm Captain Black Beard. Come on board."_

"Welcome aboard the Jolly Roger," the Captain said once more, as he turned around to face them again and smiled, though his smile actually gave both Anna and Kristoff cold chills up and down their spines, and they knew he was more trouble than they hoped he'd be. "She's the fastest ship on the high seas, and there's no other ship out there that can even match its power or its splendor."

"It's a very nice ship," the Princess nervously replied as she and Kristoff looked around them at the ship they were now standing on once they boarded, but they both paid closer attention to the pirates surrounding them while they studied their movements for any signs of trouble. "But ah… we were hoping you could help us."

Black Beard shrugged as he responded, "Perhaps I can. But it depends on what you're looking for?"

 _Anna momentarily glanced over at her fiancé, then she turned back to the pirate again and he kept his eyes firmly between them as she answered, "I'm trying to find my sister, and you have a certain sculpture that can help me do that."_

 _"And… And we wanna buy it," Kristoff quickly added._

 _"Sculpture?" the Captain questioned, unsure of what they were referring to._

 _When she noticed his confusion, the Princess continued, "The Wishing Star?"_

 _Black Beard understood, then deceptively he replied, "Ah… yes. The Wishing Star. For the right price… it's yours."_

 _"And… And what is the right price?" the Ice Master asked him once more, not quite believing that their negotiations for such a rare artifact would be so easy, as he looked again at Black Beard with suspicion._

 _"My weight… in gold," the pirate firmly responded to him, as he and Anna stared at him in disbelief._

 _However, Anna went on as she stepped in closer to the man and asked, "So… If it's not delicate, how much… tonnage? What would you say you weigh, Sir?"_

 _When Black Beard glared at her, she poke apologetically again saying, "Oh… never mind. It's fine. Sold! I mean… bought."_

 _"See?" the Princess whispered to Kristoff, once he stepped up so he was standing again beside her. "Look… things are going so nicely. I told you if we just keep the faith, everything's gonna work out."_

 _"And I told you that pirates were easier to deal with than wizards," he answered her and shrugged._

 _However, she thought a moment and quickly retorted, "Hey… I told you that."_

 _Then, much to Anna's and Kristoff's surprise, Hans suddenly appeared behind them once he stepped up on top of the gangplank upon boarding the ship as well while he called out, "And no one asked me at all."_

 _"He did it again," Anna worryingly uttered, while she and her fiancé both turned to face him in shock, then watched as his three brothers who had tried to apprehend them inside their castle stepped around him to surround them. "How do you keep doing that?"_

 _"You didn't exactly leave inconspicuously," the Prince of the Southern Isles smugly replied. "A paid informant on the docks in Arendelle and the swiftest ship in the Navy got us here just in time."_

 _When Hans walked around them to stand beside the pirate Captain, Anna looked at Black Beard again while the brothers began to bind hers and her fiancé's hands behind their backs with thick ropes given to them from a few of the other pirates, as she asked angrily, "This was a trap? We have a deal! Something about… What, well over two hundred pounds of gold."_

 _Black Beard just laughed aloud, then he stepped forward until he stood directly in front of the Princess and reached out to stroke her chin as he responded snidely, "You know… when you're angry, you look so much like your mother."_

 _"Wait… You met my mother?" Anna questioned in surprise upon hearing her mother knew this pirate, as she pulled away from his hand to avoid being touched by him._

 _"And your dear Papa as well," he continued with a nod. "A very regal couple. The fact they thought I wouldn't recognize royalty was… charmingly naive of them. Honestly, I liked them. Sold them the star at cost, actually."_

 _Kristoff questioned, "The Wishing Star?"_

 _The Princess struggled to process everything the villains were telling them as she turned to the man she loved again and answered, "That doesn't make sense. If they had it, they would've used it to take away Elsa's magic."_

 _"Oh, well… perhaps they didn't know that the Wishing Star can only be used by those with… pure hearts." The Captain snidely retorted._

 _"Well… if there's another one, we're still interested," Anna urgently replied. "And… we can pay just as much as he can."_

 _Hans looked at her with a raise of his eyebrow and asked haughtily, "Can you? Because my brothers and I spent Wednesday rolling around on the money in the royal treasury."_

 _The four brothers all laughed as Kristoff looked around at them, while his fiancée glared at the man she thought she loved before she came to understand what love truly was and responded coldly, "You rolled around in gold bars? Weird. And ouch."_

 _"Figure of speech," he crossly retorted again. "We reveled in it. The point is… it's now in my control, not yours. You're what they call penniless. But uh… that doesn't matter. Because where you're going, you don't need money."_

 _"Where is that?" Anna questioned him again, as Hans tossed Black Beard a purse containing the real price of his deception against the Princess and the Ice Master._

 _The Prince moved in until their faces were only an inch apart and then answered her darkly, "Death."_

 _As fear came into Anna's eyes upon hearing his answer, Kristoff leaned in between them while he replied mockingly, "I'm not sure that's a place."_

 _"Well… you're both about to find out," Hans cruelly responded, as the brute behind Kristoff finished tying his hands behind him while he tugged down on his arms tightly, causing the Princess' love to wince when his pain from his wound in his shoulder began to flare up again upon feeling the pressure._

"Oh… have you been injured recently?" the youngest Prince of the Southern Isles then cruelly taunted him upon seeing the pain come over Kristoff's face, before he reached out to run his hand over his shoulders until he found the right spot where the Ice Master had been wounded and suddenly began to squeeze against it tightly in order to hurt Kristoff further. "Tell me… how did that happen?"

When she saw him hurting the man she loved as Hans continued to squeeze tighter and tighter, Anna angrily shouted out at him, "Stop it! Please! Please… leave him alone. We were attacked by the rest of your twelve brothers. In the woods, when we were trying to make our way here. We managed to escape when the guards loyal only to us suddenly arrived to protect us, but Kristoff was shot. Surely the rest of your brothers have been arrested and are now back at our castle waiting for us to return. Now, let Kristoff go."

Hans turned his head to look at her smugly and laughed as he gripped her fiancé's shoulder even tighter once more, until Kristoff finally cried out unable to hold back against his pain, then the Prince finally released him to allow him to collapse to the deck on his knees while Anna cried, "Kristoff!"

The rest of the brothers joined with Hans in his laughter as he mocked them, as did Black Beard, then at last the current Captain of the Jolly Roger shouted out to his men to set sail and walked up to the upper deck until he stood behind the ship's wheel. Hans then told his brothers to bring their prisoners down into the brig, until they could arrive at what they all believed would soon become the Princess' and Ice Master's final resting place.

Hours later, as the sun was about to set out over the ocean…

Black Beard suddenly called out to his crew, as well as to his guests, that they had finally arrived where Hans had asked him to take them. The Prince motioned to his brothers as he asked them to bring Anna and Kristoff back up on deck, then waited patiently on the starboard side of the ship with Black Beard for them to appear again before him so he could finally be rid of them once and for all.

 _"This is the treacherous area known as Poseidon's Bone Yard…" the cruel Prince spoke to them again smugly, once Anna and Kristoff were brought to stand before him. "The exact spot where your parents' ship went down."_

 _"How fitting that mother and daughter will have their last regrets in the same place," he continued, as he looked over into the Princess' eyes while they both glared back at him. "Will you both die, wishing you'd never tried to help your freak sister? Well… Maybe your bones will mingle with your mother's on the bottom of the sea."_

 _Kristoff struggled against the men's hold on him, wanting only to turn to the woman he loved so he could offer her comfort when seeing the horror in her eyes upon realizing they were about to die just like her parents had, then Black Beard called out to his crew shouting, "Bring forward the trunk!"_

 _Hans walked around from behind their prisoners to stand in front of the pirate as he questioned, "There's a trunk? How… How will their bones mingle if she's in a trunk?"_

 _The Captain thought back to when his once greatest enemy had tried to drown him by shoving him off the plank so he would be devoured by sharks and answered, "I once had a rival who made me walk the plank. And much to my surprise, I was saved by a mermaid. I applied the lesson."_

 _"This trunk will make sure you die without 'finterference'," he snidely added as he looked between the captives and laughed at his wordplay._

 _"Elsa's gonna get out of that urn, and when she does… she's gonna take back the kingdom and kick you and your brothers back to the Southern Isles, which sounds lovelier than I bet it actually is," Anna angrily retorted, as the three brothers shoved her and Kristoff forward so they could force him into the trunk, then the Princess of Arendelle at last. "Uhh!"_

 _"I doubt that," the youngest of the thirteen Princes haughtily replied, and looked down at them while Anna and Kristoff looked up from inside the trunk. "I control the Royal Navy, the vast Armies, and even this Enchanted Ship you're about to be thrown off… The Jolly Roger. And if Elsa hasn't found a way to escape an urn in the last thirty years, I doubt she ever will."_

 _Anna stared up at him in shock and disbelief as she cried out, "Wait… What? Thirty years?"_

 _Hans quickly explained, "The spell that froze Arendelle… it had us all frozen for thirty years."_

 _"My aunt kept us like that for decades?" the Princess fearfully whispered. "Elsa. My poor sister. She was stuck in an urn all that time!"_

 _"Why would Ingrid unfreeze us all right now?" Kristoff asked her, while he tried to work out the new information in his mind despite the pain in his shoulder growing worse upon being shoved inside of the trunk and cramped beside his fiancée._

 _She responded fearfully, "Because she wants to do something worse. We have to get to Elsa. We have to stop whatever it is Ingrid… aah!"_

 _Anna cried out again once Hans finally slammed the trunk's lid closed to get her to stop talking upon becoming annoyed, then he sneered, "She's so talky."_

 _"Men!" Black Beard at last shouted out, giving his crew orders to throw the trunk overboard as they eagerly complied._

"She's not so talky anymore," the Captain then spoke to Hans once he faced him and his brothers again. "Our deal's finished. Believe me… I did enjoy our brief allegiance. But you had better know one thing, Your Majesty… the Jolly Roger is mine. Not yours. You were never in control of this vessel."

Hans nodded as he quickly answered, "Of course. I only said that for their benefit. Shall we celebrate our victory, Captain Black Beard?"

The villain smiled and replied smugly, "Let's." 


	55. Chapter 55

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Fifty-Five

Back inside the Merry Men's camp…

Robin stood watch over the dark stormy purple cloud looming above them while his men continued to break down their tents and pack their few possessions in a hurry, until Little John finally walked up from behind his oldest friend and leader while he spoke quietly saying, "It's done, Robin. The weapons have all been put away where they won't be so easy to get to once we all start turning on each other. As far as I know, you and me are the only ones who now know where their buried."

Robin turned around to face him, then answered with sincerity, "Thank you, John. Is everything else all packed? Have the men all found someplace where they can tie themselves to a tree… or something so they hopefully can't hurt one another?"

"They've all separated and are trying to do so now," the big man assuredly responded to him, until his eyes then grew worried. "Do you really think this is actually going to happen? I mean… Emma, Regina, and the others… They are all still working on trying to stop this curse from falling, aren't they?"

"They are," the archer confidently replied. "And I have hope they can succeed, but if they can't… Just continue to trust that Emma and Elsa will find a way to break it in case they can't stop it. Because they will. I know it, John. Now… now go on and go to wherever you're going to stay until this is all over. I have to finish packing my own things. Stay safe."

Little John nodded, then he finally ran off while Robin walked over to where he had already taken down his tent that he and Roland shared when they slept in the woods along with his men, then carefully began to finish packing up his bags. His mind was elsewhere, so he didn't hear Will walking up behind him, until the younger thief loudly cleared his throat.

The leader turned his head to glare up at him while he asked, "What are you still doing here? Didn't you understand you have to find someplace to hide away from everyone else before this spell hits? It's going to be any time now."

Will Scarlet nodded as he answered, "Oh… I understood all right. I just… I wanted to ask ya something before I go, just in case something happens and I can't later."

"What is it?" Robin asked in frustration.

"Why ain't you more angry with me for betraying you all those years ago?" the younger man finally asked. "After I… endangered the men's lives when I stole that looking glass for Anastasia?"

The archer stopped what he was doing for a moment to look up at his friend again and responded, "Because it's the right thing to do. I'm no saint, but I do try to be a good man. And because I understand wanting to do anything for the love of a woman."

Will stared down at him as he questioned, "Are ya referring to Marian, or to your new love here in this land… the Queen?"

"I suppose both," Robin replied to him with honesty, then quickly riffled through his pack once he finished, just to make sure that he had everything he needed before he took off.

However, as he did so, a folded up piece of parchment he'd never seen before and didn't recall packing, suddenly appeared within his bag as if by magic. Out of curiosity, Robin felt compelled to pull it out and open it so he could see what was on it and discovered it to be a picture, like a page from out of Henry's storybook.

"Where did this come from?" he then asked, though not really speaking to Will, but more to himself while he stared down at a drawing of himself as he was kissing the woman he was deeply in love with, and from seeing how much younger she looked, he knew it was back before Regina became the Evil Queen. "This… This is impossible. This never happened."

"What is it, mate?" Will questioned him when he also looked it. "Do you suppose this Author you've been searching for is playing some kind of cruel joke on ya? That is… if he's even here in Storybrooke at all?"

Robin shook his head and stood again on his feet, then started running away from him as he called back, "No, I don't, but I do have to go find Regina. Get to safety, Will. I mean it. Don't look at what's to come like it's chance for you to steal whatever you like while everyone's too distracted to notice you. I will find out about it if you do!"

The young thief shrugged and then muttered to himself, "Maybe so. But I can't just turn away from a golden opportunity now, can I?"

And with that said, Will waited until Robin was out of sight, then started to make his own way back into town. He wasn't exactly proud of himself for making the decision to loot the town once the curse hit, but he's always stolen to survive since he was fairly young, except for when he was happy in Wonderland with Anastasia, Alice, and Cyrus. Now, he was alone again and trapped in Storybrooke. Besides… there were plenty of people living there who had plenty of wealth.


	56. Chapter 56

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Fifty-Six

As soon as the chest with Anna and Kristoff inside of it struck the surface of the ocean upon it being tossed overboard, it sank deep through the waters fast until it finally landed on the ocean floor. Both of the captives cried out in fear while they felt themselves sinking, then roughly strike the ground, and their fear only grew once the waters began to fill the trunk. They were in trouble and this time, Sven, Olaf, nor their guards would be there to save them. The Princess and her Ice Master failed to get their hands on the Wishing Star, and what was worse was that they had failed to save Elsa.

Under the sea…

"Kristoff… I'm so sorry," his fiancée frightfully whispered to the man she loved so much in remorse. "This is all my fault. I never should have…. thought we could talk to Black Beard and convince him to help us. Pirates are not easier to deal with than wizards. Both… both are equally as treacherous. And now we're… we're going to die. Oh, Kristoff…"

"Hey… hey it's okay, Anna," he encouragingly replied to her to try to comfort her, even though he himself felt no hope they would survive and yet he began to bang his body up against the trunk's walls to try to free them from it anyways for her sake. "We're going to be okay. I promise. You'll see."

 _And as he ran his fingers against the chest's lid behind him, Kristoff felt something he hoped to use at least to help cut them free of their bonds, then exclaimed, "Wait a minute… Wait a minute… There's a nail back there. Okay… I think I can get through the ropes."_

 _While he began to struggle with the nail in order to try to cut through his bindings, Anna suddenly shouted out, "Help! Help!"_

 _"Come on," the Ice Master grumbled and groaned, as he continued in his efforts despite the pain within his shoulder only worsening the harder he fought to break free within the tiny space available for him to move around in. "Come on! Oh… come on! Uhh!"_

 _"Oh!" he suddenly cried when he at last felt the ropes give way, then laughed at his small victory and pulled his hands up in front of him when he turned back to Anna, who had given up on trying to call out for help. "Look! Look! I got my hands out. Okay… I'm gonna untie you. All right?"_

 _Kristoff pulled her closer to him and turned her around so that he could get to her hands behind her back as well while he added, "Okay… come here. Come on."_

 _He panted as he struggled to breathe in enough air needed for what he was about to, then he swiftly pulled himself beneath the water still rising around them and struggled to untie her ropes so he could free her too. Anna just cried silently and closed her eyes, but she helped the man she loved to free herself when she pulled her wrists the rest of the way out of the bindings once he had loosened them enough for her. At last, he broke through to the surface again and breathed in heavily to help the little air left within the trunk around them enter his lungs._

 _Kristoff then turned his love back around to face him and pulled her against his own body comfortingly while he spoke to her soothingly saying, "Okay. Okay… come here. Come here."_

 _"I… Anna of Arendelle, promise to love and cherish you," the Princess then whispered in between sobs, as she began to recite her marriage vows to him, until her fiancé swiftly cut her off._

 _"Whoa… whoa, whoa, whoa… What are you doing?" he asked her in surprise while he looked into her eyes._

 _She devastatingly answered him, "Marrying you before we die."_

 _Kristoff closed his eyes and banged his head against the top of the trunk upon hearing her prepared to give up, then pleaded with her to keep fighting for him no matter how much he wanted to give up himself as he retorted brusquely, "No!"_

 _"What?" his fiancée questioned in confusion._

 _The man who loved her continued to look deep into her eyes while he responded unwaveringly, "You don't get to marry me unless we get out of this. Okay? Just keep your chin up and breathe. Okay?"_

Anna weakly nodded her head and then wrapped her arms around him to embrace the man she loved just as much, while she heartbreakingly replied, "Okay. Okay."

On Storybrooke's beach…

 _Elsa finally pulled away from Emma and Ruby so they could move on, but before they walked away from the ocean, Elsa turned to face its waters and looked out beyond the horizon one last time as she raised her sister's necklace up to her chest to hold it against her heart, then she implored, "Anna… wherever you are, whatever happened to you all those years ago, I'm so sorry I didn't find you. I still have faith. I know you're out there somewhere. I won't give up hope. I just wish… I wish you were with me now."_

 _"Elsa… come on," the Savior begged her again to leave with her._

 _However, Elsa suddenly felt a surge of power coming from within the necklace and opened the palm of her hand to discover that the stone in its center had surprisingly begun to glow once more. Ruby glanced over at Emma until they both began to stare down at the necklace as well._

 _"Something's happening," Emma quietly stated, once a bright wave of magic swiftly burst out from the crystal when each of the women began to look all around them._

 _"Do you think it's my aunt's spell?" the Queen of Arendelle worryingly asked her in concern, as they waited for something more to happen._

 _Emma shook her as she answered, "I don't know."_

Still in Arendelle, beneath the ocean…

 _When the water flowing into the chest around them was just about to fill their tomb completely and death was near, Kristoff continued to plead with Anna to hold on to him while he implored, "Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. I love you."_

 _"I love you too," she whispered back, as she intertwined her fingers with his and laid her head against his._

 _And yet just when they had lost all hope, wind suddenly began to howl around them and they could feel the waters surrounding them begin to bubble fiercely like they were being pulled down by some powerful force beyond their seeing. Both Anna and Kristoff began to scream and cry out in fear, especially once a bright white light at last consumed them as heavily as the waters did when all of a sudden, a portal opened around them, then pulled them through._

Once more in Storybrooke…

 _"What is that?" Elsa called out once the portal that had appeared around those trapped inside a trunk within another kingdom, reappeared in the ocean before the three women waiting by on the beach, and a second wave of light magic suddenly burst from the portal, forcing Emma, Elsa, and Ruby backwards off their feet into the sand beneath them._

After a few seconds, as they laid against the ground to get their breathing back under control upon feeling their breaths leave them for a moment, each of the women slowly sat up again and Ruby uttered, "That wasn't… from any of the Snow Queen's spells. That… that was a portal. But where did it come from?"

 _However, before Emma or Elsa could answer her, they all saw a large trunk had appeared from within the portal on the beach in front of them. And then, its lid suddenly opened up, as Anna and Kristoff began to struggle to climb out of the chest while they both gasped for air, and coughed as they spit up the water that had filled up in their lungs upon being pulled under._

 _Elsa stared ahead of her in shock and disbelief, then she slowly stood up again before she finally called out to the woman she was almost afraid to believe was her sister, as she ran towards her crying, "Anna? Anna!"_

 _"Elsa?" Anna cried out as well upon hearing her sister's voice, then saw her running at her and immediately embraced her in joy and with relief once she reached her._

 _"Anna!" shouted happily as well. "Oh! I couldn't find you!"_

 _The Princess responded excitedly, "I was looking for you! I put you in an urn!"_

 _The Queen then replied, "You missed your wedding!"_

 _"It's okay!" Anna quickly answered her again. "We're here!"_

 _"But you're still young!" Elsa continued on with their swift back and forth answers, as Emma and Ruby just watched on and waited by to give them a few more minutes with each other before pulling them into the trouble coming towards them._

 _The younger sister cried, "We were frozen!"_

 _And then Kristoff joined in when Elsa reached out to embrace his arm while he responded, "For thirty years, apparently."_

 _"How did this happen?!" Anna finally asked her._

 _"How did you get here?!" Elsa questioned her almost in unison._

 _At last, Emma cut in while she looked down at the crystal within the necklace once she picked it up from where her friend had dropped it after they were knocked to the ground, as she replied out of surprise, "It's like you wished it."_

 _The Princess then looked over at her and saw her necklace in her hands as she spoke again saying, "My necklace. It was the Wishing Star!"_

 _"This is an amazing miracle," Kristoff happily exclaimed, despite shivering in the cold while he wrapped his hands over his arms, struggling to ignore the throbbing agony burning throughout his shoulder and now his chest when his pain flared again from his wound. "But it is a cold miracle, and we're all wet. So…"_

 _"Yes," Emma quickly answered him, as she and Ruby stepped forward to take their arms and urged them all to follow after them after she glanced upwards towards the purple thundering cloud looming above them. "If we can get Anna back to the fairies right away, she might be able to stop the spell."_

 _Elsa and Anna quickly embraced once more, and together they all followed after Emma and Ruby back towards town while the women began to explain to Anna and Kristoff what was going on., then once they finally reached the street not much further from the diner where they were heading, Kristoff looked between Elsa and her two friends when he asked, "So this spell can't affect Anna because it already got her once?"_

 _Emma nodded as she responded, "Exactly."_

 _"And the two of you?" the Princess continued to ask as she looked between her sister and the woman she didn't yet to know._

 _"We're immune," the Savior replied again. "It's a long story. We… We just gotta hurry."_

Anna then looked at Ruby as she questioned her, "But you're not immune?"

The girl who was part wolf and part human shook her head and raised her wrist to point out the ribbons around the others' wrists as she answered, "Nope. No ribbon. The Snow Queen only wanted to spare your sister and Emma."

 _"What a funny looking world," Elsa's sister then stated strangely, as she and Kristoff looked at the new kingdom around them._

 _"Right?" the Queen then responded to her in agreement._

Minutes earlier, inside Granny's Diner…

 _Mother Superior was still busy working on the potion that she, Belle, and the rest of her sisters had made for when Emma, Ruby, and Elsa at last returned with Anna when Gold encouraged his wife to leave with him, before the fairies could cast their counter spell with what they hoped would be enough time left to stop the Snow Queen's spell._

 _In the back room where stairs led up to the rooms above, Killian finally gathered as much courage as he could find within himself upon feeling a grip take hold of his heart again to remind him of the Dark One's command, then he stepped out into the wide open room before him at last while he raised the hat's opening in front of him to summon its magic once the hat felt the amount of power surrounding it and began to pull each one of the fairies inside upon discharging a magical vortex once more._

 _Lightening suddenly filled the room as the vortex arose and each of the magical beings screamed out in fear and attempted to escape. While the hat's power continued to devour them, it destroyed all the fairies' hard work and tore apart the room surrounding the Captain who stood within the center of it all, wanting desperately to close his eyes to avoid seeing the destruction he caused as he did like he was commanded. Unfortunately, he had no choice but to watch and listen as the fairies cried out while they were all captured._

 _The moment the horror around her began, Blue immediately ducked down behind the counter while she struggled to see what was happening, and who it was causing the havoc without being seen. Everything happened so fast, that she knew there was nothing she could do for her sisters, but she finally hid behind the bar and attempted to save herself in hope she would be able to escape to be able to warn Emma and the rest of the heroes that Hook appeared to have turned on them._

 _Silence at last filled the room once the power appeared to have stilled, and so believing that Hook finished and had left, the leader of the fairies swiftly attempted to crawl out from behind the counter to run from the diner, until Hook suddenly appeared in her path and stood above her with the glowing purple sorcerer's hat within his hand and hook, as she gasped out in fear, then she shook her head while she looked into his eyes upon seeing his own anguish within them, to try to plead with him not to harm her._

 _However, Killian looked down at her miserably, then sadly he whispered, "I'm sorry. I truly am."_

And without any further hesitation, the pirate finally lowered the hat's opening so that its powerful vortex could consume the Blue Fairy as well, while Mother Superior screamed out in horror. Once his job was finished with the leader of the fairies becoming trapped like he had done with the others, as well as to the Apprentice and Zelena, Killian lowered his head and closed his eyes in torment over what he'd done. But before he could barely begin to beat himself up over it, he turned his head towards the window covered by the blinds that were still closed beside him upon hearing voices just outside, and he knew Emma was about to walk in along with their friends and Elsa's sister. So Hook swiftly ducked down to hide behind the bar himself just in time to avoid being seen when the woman he loved, Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, and Ruby all came rushing inside, knowing he couldn't get caught per the Dark One's command.

Upon seeing the condition of her grandmother's diner, Ruby looked all around her in shock and despondently cried out, "No! Blue… and the rest of the fairies? Who… who could have done this?"

 _"What happened here?" Elsa asked as well, while she and the others all looked around them in shock by the destruction before them._

 _"What do you think?" the Savior brusquely replied to her. "The Snow Queen."_

 _Anna looked between Elsa and her sister's friend while she asked worryingly, "What does this mean?"_

 _Without looking back at her, Emma answered again curtly, "It means that even with you here, we can't protect everyone."_

 _"So… what do we do now?" the Queen of Arendelle despondently questioned her as well._

 _"Prepare for the worst," the town's sheriff responded, then in frustration, she turned and walked back out, followed closely by the others with her._

From behind the bar, Killian remained in hiding behind the counter while he listened to their conversation, then when he heard the sounds of the bells jingling over the door as they left the diner again, he closed his eyes in torment upon hearing the woman he loved sound so hopeless once she had seen that their last chance to save their loved ones and their town from the Snow Queen's spell had been ripped away from them because of him. A single tear slipped down from the corner of his eye as he did so.

He opened his eyes again in order to watch them walk away from the diner through the blinds, then Killian bowed his head to stare down coldly at the box which the hat had become once more in his hand and suddenly banged his head back against the counter behind him in despair and anger geared only towards himself, before he finally stood so he could get up to leave the diner himself at last in order to return the hat to the villain who forced him to hurt those he cared about.

Meanwhile…

 _Gold walked down the street with Belle at his side while they held hands on their way back to his shop, then once they stood just outside the door, the Dark One turned to his wife and looked into her eyes while he spoke gently to her saying, "You'll be safe in here."_

 _The beauty looked at him nervously as she asked, "So you… You can keep the spell out?"_

 _"No, but we must be separated," he firmly replied to her. "As Dark One, I may be immune to the spell, but you can still hurt me. Go inside and stay in the back room. I'm gonna seal it with a protection spell so no one can get to you."_

 _"Okay," Belle sadly answered, then looked away from him in worry._

 _Upon seeing the sadness in her eyes, he tenderly lifted her head again to get her to look up at him and then he responded assuredly, "Look, I… I'll be back soon, and then we're gonna be together and we're gonna be fine. I promise."_

The villain then pulled her into his arms to embrace her. However, when he did so, she glanced down apprehensively upon still sensing that there was more to what her husband had told her earlier to try to assure her the things Emma had said were nothing but lies, or misunderstandings. She wanted to believe him, yet a part of her couldn't help but feel the man she loved was hiding something terrible from her as much as she tried to deny her fears.

 _At last, the beauty pulled away from him and turned to walk inside his shop where she trusted she would be safe from hurting her husband or the rest of her friends once they were all affected by the Snow Queen's spell, as well as safe from being hurt by anyone else too. Once she was inside, the Dark One waved his hand over the doorway and cast a protection spell on the shop that would keep his wife within, and everyone else out._

 _And then, when the pirate Captain walked up and stood beside him while he held the box out for him to take, the true villain looked over at him crossly as he questioned, "Is it done?"_

 _"You know… she truly loves you," Killian then said to him without answering his question as he looked towards the door Belle just disappeared through, before he finally turned back to face his oldest enemy. "You could have her forever, or all the power in the world. It's your choice."_

 _"I don't need to choose, thank you," the Dark One snidely replied to him while he reached out to rip the box containing the Sorcerer's hat within it gruffly from his hand and then walked past him. "I can and will have both."_

 _However, before he could walk away from him, Hook turned around and called out to him angrily, "Now that it's settled… are we done?"_

 _Gold momentarily looked inside his shop again through the window while he watched Belle settle in, then turned to look at Killian again and answered haughtily, "No, no. I'm not gonna give up control of you just yet. Not until I have everything I need."_

 _"What's left?" the Captain asked him in confusion._

 _"That's my concern, not yours," the Dark One maliciously responded to him then once more. "But by morning, all should be complete. Including your life. Now run along, dearie. And enjoy your last day in this or any land."_

And with that said, Hook's enemy turned again to walk away from him at last, leaving the pirate behind to think on his words. Killian stared after him darkly until Gold vanished from his sight once he turned into the alley next to the pawnshop. At last, Killian himself turned away and started walking down the street and at first, he started walking with no particular destination in mind. But when he looked up and saw that the Snow Queen's spell was almost upon them, he knew he needed to get himself someplace where he could chain or lock himself up so he wouldn't be able to harm anyone once he became the villain he hated more so than even the Crocodile.

However, before he started walking in his new direction, Killian turned back towards the sheriff's station in the distance where he suspected Emma had gone with their friends to be with her family. Believing he would have only have one chance to say goodbye to the woman he loved before Gold would crush his heart, Killian started running to be with her one last time. 


	57. Chapter 57

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Back in Arendelle, aboard the Jolly Roger…

Prince Hans and his three brothers aboard the ship with him, walked down below deck as they followed behind the crew's first mate, who knocked on the door to the Captain's quarters where Black Beard had convened to after he and the Princes finished dealing with Arendelle's Princess and the kingdom's Ice Master in order to pull out some of his best wine for their celebration, to go along with the rum which his crew kept stored within the ship's galley.

When he heard the knocks, Black Beard called out for his first mate and his royal allies to enter, then spoke smugly saying, "I've had my men pull the rum from our galley, and I will even contribute some of my own wine. A toast to our victory is most definitely in order upon succeeding in ridding Arendelle of what was left of its royals. However, you've gotten exactly what you wanted. You will soon become Arendelle's new King, and you and your brothers now have all the gold you could have ever imagined, making the Southern Isles the richest kingdom in all the realm. Or Arendelle… depending on which way you decide to split your wealth."

When two more members of the crew brought in five goblets and the drinks for their Captain and the ship's guests, the four of thirteen Princes each took one and waited for the pirates to leave the room again, then the youngest of them turned back to Black Beard sternly as he questioned, "Exactly what are you saying? We've paid you everything you asked for when we first made this alliance. The gold we paid you, as well as a royal passport so you're free to traverse anywhere you wish throughout all of Arendelle and the Southern Isles."

"Yes, but… you're about to become King, when you were nothing but thirteenth in line for your own throne," Black Beard haughtily responded, as he sat down and laid back along his bed once he began to sip his wine. "I hardly think one small money purse full and a royal passport is enough. If you and your brothers wish for me to bring you back to Arendelle, I expect more from you. Go ahead… drink up."

"We had a deal, Captain," Hans sternly replied, when all four men lowered their goblets and stared coldly at the pirate before them. "We gave you what you asked for."

The Captain smiled up at him smugly as he answered, "Yes, you did. And now I'm asking for more. You have more wealth than you could ever spend in a lifetime. I want my weight in gold just as I asked from your Princess. And not just once, but every month."

One of the other brothers glared at him while he retorted, "This isn't what we agreed upon. This is blackmail."

"If you refuse to take us back, you'll have not just one army searching for you and the Jolly Roger for all the rest of your days trying to find what happened to us, but two," another of them angrily continued. "The rest of our brothers will be sure of that."

"Like you said… the Jolly Roger is made from Enchanted Wood, making it the fastest ship among the high seas," Black Beard confidently responded again. "No ship within the Royal Navies in any realm will ever catch me. And thanks to you, I now have a royal passport that will allow me to slip in and out wherever I please. I could even escape this realm altogether. Your brothers will never find us. If you wish to return home to either kingdom, pay me what I ask. Or you will die here with your enemies."

Two of the Princes pulled their swords from their scabbards, while Black Beard immediately stood up again from the bed as he pulled his own cutlass as well. However, before any of them could attack, Hans quickly stepped in between them to keep them from shedding any blood in a duel.

The new self proclaimed King of Arendelle then stated, "Stop this. There's no need for us to become enemies."

When he turned to look back at his brothers, Hans added, "Black Beard's right. We have more than enough wealth than we could have ever dreamed of. And now we also have two armies at our disposal, so if we wish to invade other kingdoms now weaker than us to take what's theirs, we can. I say we give Captain Black Beard exactly what he wants. Besides… I'm the King of Arendelle now. The three of you are still only Princes."

"Fine," the oldest of the four rulers brusquely replied to the youngest. "But from here on out, brother… you can rule Arendelle without the rest of us. We didn't help you conquer it only to fall under your rule. We only did so to in order to restore honor to our names after you nearly ruined us in trying to take over Arendelle the first time around. You made our family and our kingdom a laughing stock. But now that you have what you wanted, you'll finally be out of our hair. The rest of us are perfectly happy within our own kingdom."

"So you pay Black Beard his sum," another of them continued. "From your own treasury."

Prince Hans looked between them sternly and finally nodded, then turned around to face the Captain of the Jolly Roger once more while he said, "Very well, Captain. We have an agreement. Your weight in gold once every month on top of what I've already given you. Now take us back to Arendelle."

The pirate Captain smiled haughtily and raised his goblet to the Prince after refilling both his and Hans' as well, then answered, "An agreement indeed. A toast… to our long and prosperous allegiance."

"Drink up, Your Majesties," Black Beard then called out to the others before him, as they finally did so. "It's a ways back to shore. But the Jolly Roger will get you there. I'll tell my men to set a course."

"Thank you, Captain Black Beard," the oldest of the four muttered again in frustration if just to show courtesy between two men and nothing more.

Together, all five men drank until what wine and rum was brought up for them was gone and each of them were drunk. While three of the four Princes despised the pirate Captain and the rest of the band of pirates surrounding them, the libations numbed their senses enough so that by the time they returned to the shores of Arendelle, they acted as though they were as thick as thieves.

However, upon reuniting with the rest of their thirteen brothers, they quickly sobered upon learning that when the other nine had fought against Anna, Kristoff, and the six loyalist soldiers of their Royal Guard protecting them in battle, three of the Princes were killed, bringing their number down to ten instead of thirteen. While the Princess and her fiancé had already been punished, the half a dozen surviving members of Arendelle's army who had been apprehended and arrested, would all soon face execution as well.


	58. Chapter 58

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Inside the sheriff's station…

David, Mary Margaret with Neal in her arms, Henry, and Regina all started walking towards the station once they left the library to wait for Emma and the others to rejoin with them again. However, the Prince and Princess had made a quick stop at the convent to pick up their son up from where he was being looked after by the fairies appointed by Blue to look after the children, until the children were placed under their own protection spell, then the fairies returned to the diner to help their leader and sisters with the counter spell before they too were pulled inside the Sorcerer's hat in Hook's attack.

David and Mary Margaret at last with Neal, met up again with Regina and Henry where they could wait for Emma and their friends, while they worked out a plan for when the Spell of Shattered Sight would at last fall down on them in case the fairies' counter spell failed. The heroes had yet to learn that the fairies had been attacked. Their plans weren't necessarily good plans… at least without flaws, but they were the only options they had left.

And then, much to Regina's surprise, Robin suddenly came running into the station after he had run as fast as he could from his camp to talk with her, carrying nothing but the old piece of parchment that he had found within his bag. When he finally saw her, after he failed to find her back at the library, he rushed over to pull the woman he loved and her son aside so they could talk in private.

"Robin… What are you doing here?" the former Evil Queen softly asked him out of worry, upon seeing the look of urgency on his face as he pulled her and Henry away from the others. "Is everything all right? I mean… you shouldn't be here now."

"I had to come here to find you," the archer firmly answered her. "I found something and I had to show it to you right away. You're never going to believe it… but it's hope, Regina."

She looked at him in confusion, as she questioned, "Hope? What are you talking about?"

Robin quickly looked over at the twelve year old as he asked, "First… Henry, do you have your storybook with you?"

"Of course I do," Henry replied and then pulled his backpack from around his shoulders and opened it so he could pull the large book of fairytale stories out for them to look through again. "I always carry it on me. I never know when it's going to be needed. Why?"

 _"Trust me… tonight, it's needed," the archer said to him eagerly again, then looked back at Regina before he began to shuffle through the pages, apparently looking for something specific while the boy held the book for him, and at last seemed to have found the right pages before he looked at her once again. "_ _All right… so, you know that Henry and I went to the library last night looking… trying to find a clue towards that Author… Towards your happy ending."_

 _The Mayor looked at him skeptically and sighed before she questioned, "In the public library? Robin… my happy ending is not a Stephen King book on tape."_

 _Robin raised his finger to motion for her to wait while he responded, "Hang on. But then the strangest thing happened. I found something."_

 _"Is this… us?" Regina suddenly asked him, once Robin unfolded what appeared to be a page ripped out from within her son's storybook, then stared down at the picture of them kissing one another as she gasped in surprise, and reached down to pull the page from his hands._

 _"Yes," he swiftly answered her in excitement. "Inside the pub."_

 _She shook her head once again in disbelief, then she replied to him in confusion, "I don't... understand. This isn't what happened. Is this from the book? Twenty-three… Page twenty-three. Is it missing from the book?"_

 _Regina looked down at the open pages where Robin had turned to within the book and saw there was in fact, another page twenty-three still there showing her outside of the pub, as the archer immediately responded, "No… No, it's already there, and it's you leaving me."_

 _"This goes in the same place," he continued as he took the lone page and laid it over the one within the book. "This is the meeting that we never had."_

 _"What does it mean?" the former Evil Queen asked him, as she raised her head again to look into his and her son's eyes almost fearfully._

 _The man who loved her reached out to lay his hands on top of hers and then he answered gently, "It means that your fate could have gone many different ways. It means you're not doomed to suffer. There's a bright future for you around every turn, even if you miss one."_

Henry finally spoke again happily saying, "He's right, Mom. And this page shows he's right. It is hope."

 _"Well… where did you find it?" she anxiously questioned Robin again. "Is there another book? What shelf?"_

 _"No, it was in my satchel," the archer quickly replied._

 _Regina looked at him again with confusion while she uttered, "What?"_

 _Robin quickly shook his head as he responded, "Not at first. It wasn't there when I left last night. It… appeared. Today, while I was packing my bags at my camp. I don't know why."_

 _"Like magic," she whispered with a sigh of relief, then smiled at both the man she loved and her son._

 _"It's a sign," the archer continued happily. "And you can take it however you want, but to me… it's showing you possibility. Hope. That's not something that would ever happen to a villain, is it?"_

 _The former Evil Queen shook her head as she continued to smile at Robin, while a tear slipped down her cheek and then she answered softly, "You're right."_

She turned to Henry again and laid one of her hands over one of his while he kept a tight hold of the book, kept her other hand in Robin's, then she added, "It is hope. I can't believe it. I didn't… I didn't think it was, but I do believe it now. Thank you."

"And I think it can give us the hope we need to believe we can come out of the Snow Queen's curse unscathed too," the twelve year old assuredly replied again.

"Oh… speaking of…" the Mayor then stated worryingly, as she quickly began to help Henry place the storybook back inside his backpack again. "We need to get going. We still have to protect ourselves. Hold on…"

When Regina turned back to the room where the others were still talking and walked towards them, Mary Margaret then asked her worryingly, "Regina… is everything all right?"

Her stepmother nodded as she smiled, then responded, "Yes. Everything's fine. But we need to get going. I have to make sure Henry will be safe. And he will be, I promise. I'm going to place him inside my office, with a protection spell up around it so no one will be able to get inside once the curse falls, including me. And I'm going down to my vault. Where I'll put up a protection spell that I can't break out of. Let Emma know for me? And hurry up and do whatever you have to do. We don't have long."

"Be safe, Regina," Mary Margaret then whispered, as she swiftly pulled her into a brief hug to show her she meant it. "We'll get through this."

"I know we will," the former Evil Queen answered her. "Thanks to Robin and Henry, I have hope. You be safe as well. All of you."

David nodded and reached his hand out for her to shake, then sincerely replied, "Thank you."

She smiled at him as she shook his hand and then walked away with Robin and Henry before she raised her hands to poof them all to her office. Once there, she reached out to grab her son's hand and pulled him inside with her into her office, then sat him down in chair within the middle of the room.

Regina smiled down at her son and reached up to caress his cheek while she whispered lovingly, "Henry… I'm so proud of you. For everything you do and who you are. And you believed in Operation Mongoose far more than even I did. And Robin too."

 _"Operation Mongoose is not over," the boy confidently responded to her again. "We're gonna find the Author. You will be happy. With Robin."_

 _"First… we have to survive," she then sternly answered him. "Now… listen to me carefully, Henry. I'm going to seal this place. You're going to be locked in, but more importantly, everyone else will be locked out."_

 _Henry nodded as he looked up into her eyes, then replied assuredly, "I understand."_

 _Regina fought to hold back her tears while she added, "Don't be scared."_

 _"I'm not, Mom," her son bravely responded. "Emma and Elsa will fix this. I have faith."_

 _"I wish I was as brave as you," the Mayor answered him again._

 _Regina wrapped her arms around her son to embrace him as she sighed, then he pushed her towards the door while he said firmly, "Now go. I'll be okay. Really… go."_

 _She nodded and then she replied, "I love you."_

 _"I love you too," he responded back, then Regina finally walked back out of her office and raised her hands so she could at last cast her protection spell up over the door in order to seal it._

 _"Where to now?" Robin then asked her once she finished, as he came over to stand beside her again._

 _She looked at him with sadness in her eyes as she took his hands again, then the lights within the hallway suddenly began to crackle when the spell at last reached them, and she answered him bleakly, "My vault. And you need to get as far away from it as possible. It's dangerous even being around each other now. We're moments away."_

 _However, the archer shook his head while he replied sternly, "It's okay. Roland is safe somewhere even I don't know. Henry is safe in there. I'll go and chain myself to a tree in a minute… Unless you want me to come with you."_

 _"No… no, no, no, no… I need to seal myself in that vault," the former Evil Queen fearfully responded, then started to pull away from him until he grabbed hold of her tightly to try to keep her there with him._

 _"To keep people out?" he asked her in confusion._

 _She then scoffed and answered darkly, "Oh, no... To keep me in."_

 _Robin looked into her eyes again and lovingly whispered, "Regina… I'm not afraid of you."_

 _"But you really… really should be," the former villainess replied, and pulled away from him again, this time as she pushed him back to keep him from grabbing hold of her again._

"I don't care," the man she loved responded again, until she finally just poofed herself from her office and down to her vault. "Regina? Regina!"

Once she appeared outside of her vault, the former Evil Queen ran in and pushed her father's tomb aside so she could run down to the hidden passageway towards the rooms within where she knew she could keep everyone safe from her old self once she became that woman she hated and feared above all else. And when she entered the room where her magic mirror hung and she kept her potions, spell books, and other magic, Regina raised her hands again to cast another protection spell over the doorway that would keep her trapped inside, where she wouldn't be able to harm anyone she loved.


	59. Chapter 59

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Fifty-Nine

Once again, inside the sheriff's station…

Emma, Ruby, Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff left the diner feeling overwhelmed. However, they ran as quickly as they could down the street to the station so they could return to Emma's parents, her son, and Regina. But when they arrived, Regina and Henry had already left with Robin, while David and Mary Margaret stayed behind with Neal as they waited for their daughter to join with them. The Savior didn't necessarily believe in hope as strongly as her mother and yet, she did have hope her parents would have one last plan that would protect them all as much as was possible.

 _When they finally rushed into the station's main room, Emma ran towards her parents as she called out, "Mom… Dad… we're running out of time. You said you had a plan."_

 _However, the moment David turned away from playing with his son in his wife's arms to greet them, and he saw his old friend from Arendelle back when he was still a shepherd, the Prince looked at him in surprise as he excitedly exclaimed, "Kristoff?"_

 _"David?" Kristoff happily called back upon seeing his friend again as well, then rushed forward to embrace him in a hug._

Unfortunately, the moment he did so, as David wrapped his arms around him and struck his back a few times, Kristoff suddenly gasped in pain from his shoulder wound, then started to collapse, until David and Anna both caught him and carefully helped him sit in a chair beside one of the desks.

"Kristoff… what's wrong?" his friend asked him and Anna worryingly as he knelt down in front of him, while everyone looked between them.

Elsa stepped forward as she stood above her sister, who knelt beside him as well and carefully began to pull down his wool coat and shirt beneath to try to get a better look at his wound, then when the Queen saw why he was hurting, she questioned as well, "Anna… How did this happen? How did you end up inside that chest on the beach?"

The younger sister looked between her and the others all looking down on them in concern while she replied, "It's a really long story. Kristoff was hurt when we got into a fight against some of Hans' brothers, but we… We really don't have time to go into more detail right now. He's going to be fine."

"Thankfully, we have a first aid kit here that can help us treat the wound the best we can in the little time we have left," Mary Margaret responded and walked into her husband's office to pull it out from the desk, then came back out to hand it down to David.

 _"You cut your hair," the sheriff alongside his daughter then stated again when he looked up at Kristoff again and smiled._

 _Kristoff reached out to pat his friend's shoulder, and while David quickly began to pull away the bloodied cloth so he could observe the wound before wrapping fresh clean bandages over it again, the Ice Master smiled back at him and answered, "So did you."_

 _When Charming looked over again at Anna, he replied, "I see you brought your lovely fiancée. Joan?"_

 _"Joan?" Kristoff uttered in confusion, as he looked over at his love again as well._

 _"It was a… code name," she sheepishly responded, then looked down again at her friend she didn't know yet had become a Prince. "David… I like your short hair. Not that I didn't like it long or that I thought it was… It's good to see you."_

 _David laughed and then he hugged her when she leaned in to embrace him momentarily as well, before David turned back to helping Kristoff, then he answered, "Likewise."_

 _While he worked, he turned towards his family and their friend surrounding them and started to introduce them, pointing to each person to indicate who he was talking about as he spoke saying, "This is my wife Snow, our son Neal, and our daughter Emma. As well as our friend… Ruby."_

 _"Wait…" Anna uttered in confusion, when she and Kristoff glanced over at the leader of those who had been there on the beach with Elsa when they came through the portal, as Emma and Ruby both briefly waved at them. "What? How can she be your daughter?"_

 _"It's a long story," the Savior swiftly replied again in frustration, still waiting impatiently for an answer to the question she first asked when she ran inside several minutes ago. "Once we survive this curse, I'll be happy to tell you all about it."_

 _She looked at her parents again and continued brusquely, "The plan. What's the plan?"_

 _When Mary Margaret walked around the desk closest to her to pick up her husband's keys that were lying on top of it, then turned to walk towards one of the open cells before she faced her daughter again, she responded, "This is the plan."_

 _"What?" Emma whispered in disbelief once her mother reached her hand out to give Emma the keys for her to lock her inside the cell._

 _The older Princess despondently explained, "You, and Anna, and Elsa are the only ones immune, so the rest of us need to protect ourselves."_

 _David then finished his ministrations on his friend the best that he could do, enough to help him in the time they had, then patted him gently across his good shoulder and said to him worryingly, "You might wanna try that desk, old friend. It's sturdy. Cuff keys are in the top drawer."_

"I need to get going too," Ruby at last stated, then started towards the door. "I have to make sure Granny's alright. She must be wondering where I am. Good luck… all of you."

Little Red Riding Hood ran out of the room and once she entered the hallway, it was then that she ran into Killian when he arrived at the station as well. Ruby stopped long enough to lean in towards him so she could kiss his cheek as a way of offering him small comfort and gently patted his arm, knowing that the pirate Captain had come to see Emma once more before the curse hit, then she swiftly took off without so much as a word to him.

Killian stared after her as the young woman took off, then finally turned back to continue heading towards the main room. However, once he arrived outside of where Emma and her family were talking, he held back from entering inside upon suddenly feeling like he was making a mistake by trying to say goodbye to the woman he loved one last time.

He already accepted that he was going to die and as much as he longed to see Emma before Gold could take his life, the truth was, he was afraid to face her once more. While Killian knew he loved her and could still feel his love for her, he also felt that love weakening with every passing moment the longer his heart remained outside of his chest and within his enemy's clutches. And Emma deserved better. So for now, Hook waited while he hid out in the hall outside of the room and silently listened to those he cared about as they continued talking.

 _"I'm not locking you in there," Emma finally retorted again to her mother once their friend ran out, and turned back around to look at her like she couldn't be serious, refusing to take the keys from her hand._

 _Mary Margaret nodded as he answered, "Yes… you have to."_

 _While Elsa walked around the desk where Kristoff then sat down on top of with Anna's help to pull the cuffs and its keys from the drawer like David suggested so she could cuff him to the desk, David walked over to the cell beside his wife's and replied to Emma, "We won't be able to hurt anyone from in here."_

 _"Take the keys, Emma," the older Princess said again more commandingly._

 _"I don't know what's gonna happen," their daughter fearfully responded in a panic. "I don't know how long it's gonna last. I don't know what's gonna happen to me. I mean… what if… What if you starve to death in there?"_

 _Her mother answered her assuredly, "No… Emma. You're gonna fix this thing, and then you're gonna come back and save us."_

 _Tears began to fall down her cheeks as she questioned worryingly, "You think?"_

 _"We believe in you," her father steadfastly and lovingly replied, while tears came to both of her parents eyes as well._

 _"Please," Mary Margaret pleaded with her once again, and finally Emma reached out to take the cells' keys from her, then David closed the door to his own cell so Emma could come over to lock him inside, while her mother continued to hold her son for a little bit longer. "Now you know Henry's in a safe place, and Regina and the others can take care of themselves."_

 _Emma looked up at her father sadly through the bars as she asked in concern, "What about the baby?"_

 _Charming looked over at his son within his wife's arms still and responded, "No… don't worry. Neal won't be with us."_

 _"Who's gonna take him?" the Savior asked again when she walked over to stand with her mother and brother._

 _"You are," Mary Margaret sadly answered her, then gently laid Neal within Emma's arms as much as it pained her to let him go._

 _Emma stared down at her brother in fear as she whispered, "Oh."_

 _Her mother closed her own cell door so Emma could lock it too, then looked up into her daughter's eyes with confidence saying, "We don't fear your magic, Emma. It's what's gonna allow you to take on the Snow Queen and win."_

 _"And when you do, you'll be right back here unlocking these doors," David assuredly added while he looked over at her as well._

 _"We trust you," Mary Margaret continued. "And Henry's right. You are special, and you are going to use that specialness and save us. Both of you."_

 _While Elsa wrapped her arms tighter around her sister upon listening to her friends' loving words, she then looked over at Emma as well and whispered, "You have wonderful parents, Emma."_

 _The Savior turned to face her as she replied sadly, "I know."_

"Stay with us until the curse falls," the Prince swiftly responded again in plea, while he reached out through the bars to grab hold of his daughter's arm as Emma then laid her free hand over his arm assuredly as well.

"I'm not going anywhere just yet," Emma answered him, then looked between her parents as she raised the back of her hand to wipe the tears in her eyes away. "I love you both so much. I know you know that I do, but… Well, I'm not so sure I say it enough. I promise to stay strong through this, but I need you both to do the same for me. Keep fighting and try to remember how just much you love each other as well. Because we're gonna pull through. And tonight… the Snow Queen's going to pay for all she's done. One way… or another."


	60. Chapter 60

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Sixty

From within the hallway, Killian listened to Emma's strong conviction while she assured her parents that all would be well, like they had done for her as well. They were all being brave for one another and yet, he could also hear the fear in their voices as they spoke. Finally, he gathered as much strength as he had within himself to face her himself at last, then he sauntered into the room, yet remained standing just beyond the doorway while he called out to her.

 _"_ _Swan?" Killian softly stated to her when he spoke, and waited by. "A word."_

 _"Elsa… can you hold my brother?" Emma immediately asked of her friend._

 _As she moved in closer to lay her brother within Elsa's arms so she could speak momentarily with the man she was falling in love with, before the curse fell, the Queen of Arendelle gently responded, "Of course. It's okay."_

 _While Elsa moved around with Neal in her arms so Mary Margaret could comfort him when he began to fuss a little, Emma swiftly walked towards Killian as tears came into her eyes again upon already knowing his answer, and yet she asked him sternly, "What are you doing here? You know what's about to happen."_

 _"Aye," the man who loved her downheartedly whispered. "I know. I just needed to see you. Before I chained myself to the dock for the protection of all, I… Needed to see you one more time."_

 _"Killian, I'm not… a tearful goodbye kiss person," she despondently answered him, as she struggled to keep her crying under control upon seeing through his brave face and sensing just how broken he really was while he remained standing firmly in front of her. "But maybe just this once."_

 _Emma suddenly embraced him as she laid her hands over both sides of his face and then kissed him tenderly, before she finally just wrapped her arms around him to hold his body against her own, like he did hers. Killian held her for as long as she allowed him too while he kissed her cheek, desperate to show her how much he truly loved her once more._

 _Yet when another crack of thunder sounded above them as the lights within the room crackled, the Savior pulled back a little, but she laid her hands over his face again to caress his cheeks until Killian suddenly whispered brokenly, "Goodbye."_

All of a sudden, she couldn't help but gasp in fear upon being released from his touch when he backed away from her and then swiftly turned to leave the station so he could head down to the docks to chain himself there like he said he would, leaving her behind again with her parents and their friends from Arendelle. Emma then exhaled deeply as she reached her fingers to her lips upon feeling his kiss linger. However, it wasn't his passion or even just his love he left behind on them once he was gone, but a strange sense of despair and hopelessness.

She knew something within him was desperately wrong, but unfortunately, she didn't have the time to go after him, much less think anymore of her fear for him once the lights dimmed like they had moments ago, as the thunder and lightning crackled in the sky above them when the dark cloud finally settled directly above them, preparing to release its deadly curse.

 _The Savior swiftly turned back around and walked over to rejoin the others, then she carefully pulled Neal back into her own arms again, while Anna comfortingly took Kristoff's hands in her own as she tenderly laid her forehead against his before he whispered sadly, "Not long now."_

 _"Looks like one more adventure together," his fiancée worryingly replied, as she looked out the window while continuing to hold the man she loved, until Elsa came over to stand beside them and wrapped her arms around her sister's shoulders._

 _"Here it comes," Mary Margaret fearfully said once she too looked outside when the room grew darker, then David reached through the bars to take his wife's hand to try to offer her as much comfort as he could as well. "Never let go."_

 _Charming looked lovingly into her eyes while he tightened his grip around her hand, then responded, "Hey… Don't be afraid. You know we share a heart, and nothing can come between two halves of one heart. These are just precautions. No spell is strong enough to break what we have."_

Everyone made it to where they needed to be just in time and waited fearfully for the spell to rain down on them, while those outside stared up into the sky above them and the others in its direction from inside, until at last millions of shards of broken glass began to fall over them all no matter where they stood. The Snow Queen and the Dark One were the only two in Storybrooke unafraid of the terror to come.

Emma bent down and pulled her brother in against her body to protect him from the glass as best as she could, while Elsa embraced her sister tenderly as they too shied away from the curse they knew wouldn't harm them like it would everyone else. However, as Anna kept her head tenderly on her sister's shoulder, she kept her eyes open in order to look lovingly at Kristoff, who was struggling to keep his eyes on hers through the falling glass flowing into his own, for as long as he possibly could.

David and Mary Margaret continued to hold hands and looked deeply into one another's eyes. However, when the glass entered like it did with Kristoff, they both suddenly began to stare at one another like they were complete strangers. Or worse… like they held no love for one another and never had when the glass within their eyes suddenly shattered as if they had become mirrors, while those who once loved with two halves of one heart let go of one another to stand separated.

Once the glass within the air dissipated and the smoke cloud cleared away upon the Snow Queen's spell taking affect over all of those in Storybrooke, Emma raised her head and looked around her, as did Elsa and Anna, before Emma quickly checked on Neal within her arms to find him sleeping soundly, then she stood tall while she turned around to check on her parents.

When she saw them standing inside their cells still facing one another without saying a word… their eyes cold, Emma finally spoke first as she asked worryingly, "Mom? Dad? Are you two okay?"

"Define… okay," Mary Margaret crossly answered her as she turned her head to look towards her daughter, then looked back at David again when she went on. "I'm trapped inside of a prison cell next to a man I married a long time ago, yet whom I can't stand. In fact… I loathe him. Prince Charming is nothing but a fraud."

"Says the woman who kept running away from her troubles before she ever met me," the Prince angrily retorted as he glared back at her through the bars. "If it weren't for me, you'd still be nothing but a bandit living inside that rotted tree stump."

Emma attempted to cut in as she started to question them, "Hey… can we just please try to…"

However, before she could get any further, as if either of her parents had heard her, Mary Margaret shouted, "You're one to talk! You ran away from your own troubles after you were given everything including your title! Prince James… Like that wasn't a lie. You told me your name was James when we first met and yet all along, it was always David. How could I have been so blind?"

"I don't know!" David callously answered her again. "That's a good question. You slept with Dr. Whale too. What was it about him you were so attracted to?"

"You chose Kathryn over me!" the Princess brusquely replied again, then stormed away from him so she could walk to the other side of her cell and sat down.

 _At last, Emma walked away as well in frustration while she continued holding her brother in her arms, then Elsa followed her into her father's office. However, Anna stayed out in the main room to stay with Kristoff for a little bit longer, as he spoke cruelly saying, "You know… if this is what marriage is like, I'm glad you keep postponing ours."_

 _Anna shook her head sadly, then sighed in frustration as she whispered, "You don't mean that, Kristoff. It's the spell."_

 _"No," he curtly responded to her and raised his head to look up into her eyes. "I'm seeing clearly now too. I'm beginning to think that this haircut wasn't my only bad idea."_

"Man… and I can't believe I got shot trying to protect you," the Ice Master then added with a scoff.

The Princess from Arendelle looked at him in confusion while she thought back to the night before, then retorted swiftly, "Hey! First of all… you were shot trying to protect Sven."

But then she softened when she remembered his efforts to keep her safe as well and then with a roll of her eyes, she continued, "While you were also busy trying to protect me too. You wouldn't have been hurt were it not for me."

"That's right," her fiancé snidely retorted. "And all for a woman who doesn't really love me as much as she claims to, because she cares more about herself and her precious sister… the Queen who froze all of Arendelle!"

 _"I know this isn't really you," Anna answered him again sadly as she looked down, then turned towards the room where her sister and the Savior were talking and kept looking between them and the man she loved, not wanting to leave his side, but needing to so that she could get away from him for a bit. "I know it. But it's still upsetting, so I'm just… I'm gonna go see my sister. And you just stay here handcuffed where you can't hurt anybody. But me… With your words."_

 _Inside her father's office, Emma stood as she continued to rock her brother in her arms while she stated worryingly, "My parents… That's not who they are."_

 _Elsa watched those cursed from the doorways despondently while she replied, "They're their worst selves. It's like when Anna put me in that urn. She didn't mean what she said either. I hope."_

 _"I didn't," the younger sister assuredly responded once she walked in to join them, and then embraced her when Elsa pulled her into her arms to comfort her upon seeing Anna so disheartened. "That doesn't make any of this less horrible."_

 _"It's okay," the Queen of Arendelle answered again, this time trying to sound more confident as she did so. "You're immune. We all are. And we're together."_

 _Emma nodded, then she undoubtedly replied, "It's gonna be all right. Remember… I'm the Savior."_

 _Anna looked over at her strangely as she questioned, "Is that like... a real job here?"_

 _"Apparently, it is," the Savior responded to her with a gentle laugh. "I promised all these people I'd get them their happy endings. And I will. I'm just not sure how at this moment."_

 _"I think I might have an idea," Anna said again upon remembering back to a conversation she had with her aunt after she had locked her inside one of their own castle's dungeons, as she looked between Emma and her sister. "Do you know how the Snow Queen got the idea for the curse? It's from a legend called, The Trolden Glass."_

 _Emma looked at her in surprise as she shook her head and then answered, "Never heard of it."_

 _The Princess quickly continued, "Its origin isn't important. What matters is how they broke the curse."_

 _"What was done?" Elsa asked her sister nervously._

 _Anna thought another moment before she then worryingly replied, "Uh… to break the spell… Oh… They had to kill the King. So in this case… that would mean, Ingrid."_

 _The true Queen of Arendelle looked at her sister again as she responded sternly, "I don't believe killing is ever the answer. Are you sure we can't reason with her?"_

 _"She's beyond that," Emma crossly retorted again. "We all want another way, but if it comes down to her or the town… I'm gonna do what has to be done."_

 _"But, Emma…" Elsa attempted to reason with her, until Emma quickly cut her off in frustration._

 _She briskly grumbled, "We're out of options. Anna… how are you with kids?"_

 _Emma looked at her while she had asked her how she was with children, then the Princess looked at her in confusion as she answered, "I love kids."_

 _"Wait…" Anna then uttered in surprise once Emma suddenly gave Anna her brother to look after him for her, as she pulled the baby into her arms in protest._

 _"Elsa… we should get going," the younger of the three women quickly said again to her friend, trying not to give Anna much of a chance to argue with her._

 _Elsa's sister questioned her in disappointment, "Wait… I'm the babysitter? The Snow Queen is my aunt too. If this is what has to happen, I wanna be by your side."_

 _However, Emma objected as she replied, "Anna… sorry, but someone has to stay here with everyone else."_

 _"Emma's right," Elsa sadly responded to her, then reached out to rub her sister's shoulder for comfort. "Stay with Kristoff."_

 _"But this was my plan," the Princess retorted again, as Emma leaned down to kiss Neal's forehead before she walked away to leave the room._

 _The older woman answered her assuredly, "I know it was. You're the smartest person I know, and you're my sister. Which means you need to stay safe. Ingrid is a problem that Emma and I have to solve."_

 _Anna looked in the direction the Savior had left in, then turned back to her sister worryingly as she asked, "Do you trust Emma?"_

 _"I do," Elsa undoubtedly stated. "She's my friend."_

 _"Then go," her sister replied while she nodded to her in acceptance at last, and then she watched Elsa walk away from her to follow after the Savior. "Be safe!"_


	61. Chapter 61

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Sixty-One

Meanwhile, in the harbor…

Once the curse faded away after it had fallen, Killian raised his head from where he was crouching down on the dock that he had run to after saying goodbye to the woman he loved, and then had cuffed himself by his wrist to one of the bench's metal bars before unlatching his hook from its brace to toss it just beyond his reach so he wouldn't be able to use it to pick the cuffs' lock upon falling under the curse's thrall as well. However, as he looked around him and struggled to understand what he was feeling, Killian soon realized much to his surprise that he was no different from the coward and villain he already saw himself as before the glass shards from the cloud rained down over him.

He carefully stood up, then looked down at his hand and wrist bound within the restraint and began to struggle to free himself by yanking his arm, to no avail. He had locked the cuffs tight and he looked down on the dock several feet ahead of him where his hook laid and knew that he wouldn't be able to reach it to help him.

So, Killian did the only thing he could think of as a last resort, and began to twist his thumb inward and around, until finally his bones snapped so that his thumb had become dislocated, causing him to wince while he struggled to stifle a small cry of pain. An old trick he'd learned by accident a long time ago in trying to escape from being imprisoned once by some of the Lost Boys. It was agonizing, but he'd learned back then how useful doing so could be.

Once he finished doing so, the pirate wiggled his wrist around again, then finally managed to pull it and his hand free from the restraint. At last, Hook stepped forward and bent down to pick up the piece of metal that had given him his cruel moniker, then latched it again into his brace.

Killian turned and began to make his way back into town so he could answer the Dark One's call upon feeling his enemy command him to come to him. However, once he walked the streets, he found that a number of the townsfolk had already managed to either free themselves from their own bonds, or they simply never bothered to hide themselves away to try to protect others from being harmed by them. He had to be careful where he walked by the time he finally arrived at Gold's shop, and entered inside to escape from being attacked by Tiny and Whale.

Further down the street, outside of the Snow Queen's ice cream shop…

Ingrid also left her own bench where she had perched herself just before her curse fell and walked the streets while everyone who remained outside were trying to avoid the glass falling from the sky. However, some people screamed in fear and others just accepted their fates as they were struck, then soon enthralled.

At last, the Snow Queen entered her own shop to pick up something she had left behind when she had been forced to leave most of her worldly possessions behind from her old life as Emma's foster mother for a time, as well as in her time spent with Elsa in Arendelle, and began to hideaway within her ice cave out in the north woods.

 _Once she found the two purple memory stones she was looking for hidden within a tub of frozen carrot sherbet, she walked back out into the night just as Emma and Elsa suddenly appeared in front of her with their hands raised in order to bar her way to wherever she might have been heading next._

 _Immediately, Emma demanded crossly, "_ _Stop."_

 _Elsa on the other hand more gently added, "This must end, Ingrid."_

 _"Our magic is a part of us now," the Savior continued again. "We control it, and we control it really well."_

 _"I'm so proud of you both," the villainess answered in sincerity while she looked between them. "You've finally embraced who you truly are."_

 _Elsa and Emma then glanced at one another, before they turned back to face off against the Snow Queen as they attempted to use their powers against her, only to find that their magic once again failed them. The Savior and the true Queen of Arendelle tried again and again, still to no avail, until they finally dropped their hands and looked at one another again in confusion before they suddenly began to feel the yellow ribbons around their wrists constrain their powers so they couldn't harm Ingrid._

 _Ingrid smiled at them as she spoke affectionately saying, "The love that flows through our ribbons is without equal. Its strength protects the life force that we all now share."_

 _Elsa looked over at Emma again as she responded worryingly, "She's made it impossible for us to hurt her."_

 _"We gotta get these things off," the Savior curtly replied in frustration, as she struggled to pull against her ribbon again to tear it off._

 _"There's no need," the villainess austerely said to them again. "Soon… you won't want to hurt me. Soon… you will love me. For real."_

And before either of the other women could say anything more, the Snow Queen turned and walked away from them further down the street so she could continue to observe her hard work and achievement, then Elsa sighed in frustration before she turned to Emma again and questioned, "So... What are we going to do now? We can't stop her if we can't use our magic to defeat her."

The Savior thought a moment while she looked down the street on both sides of her until the sign hanging over the door to Gold's Pawnshop caught her eye, then she answered her friend darkly, "We go talk to someone who might actually be able to help us get these ribbons off so we can. And Gold owes us."

Inside Gold's shop…

 _"Where's the missus?" Hook snidely asked his enemy once he closed the door behind him after he entered and saw Gold busy at one of the counters packing some of his bags for his journey out of Storybrooke with his wife. "She turned homicidal on you yet?"_

 _"None of your business," the Dark One crossly responded, then continued to work while he spoke to Hook, without looking over at the man under his complete control. "What kept you?"_

 _The pirate cautiously approached the true villain as he replied coldly, "Well… it's like swimming with sharks out there. The minute one of them tastes blood, they'll tear each other apart."_

Killian then raised his hand in order to reveal his dislocation while he continued in frustration, "Plus… I had a little trouble escaping the shackles I cuffed to my wrist down at the docks so I wouldn't become one of them myself."

 _"Well… count your blessings you're not one of them," Gold haughtily retorted once he turned to look at the younger man again, then swiftly waved his hand to heal Hook's hand so he'd be able to do like he needed him to do without any kind of hindrance getting in his way more than having only one hand already did._

 _"Why was I spared the cloud's curse?" Killian asked his oldest enemy again while he stared down at his newly healed hand and thumb once more in surprise by Gold's generosity, yet decided not to question it for fear of looking a gift horse in the mouth._

 _The Dark One looked at him again as he answered cruelly, "Because… your heart wasn't in your chest, dearie. It was here in my shop with me. In protective custody, so to speak."_

 _The pirate Captain glared at him darkly, knowing it wouldn't be long before he was given another command, then heartlessly questioned, "What is it you need, Crocodile?"_

 _"Once I finish packing, I'm gonna take Belle to the town line," Gold plainly responded to him as he continued pulling books and magical items from the shelves around them to pack them away. "I need you to find Henry and do the same thing."_

 _"So you still think you're leaving?" Killian contemptuously asked him again._

 _The villain chuckled and at last packed the Sorcerer's hat inside the bag, then Gold raised up his dagger while looked between it and the Captain smugly as he replied, "Oh… ye of little faith. Tomorrow night, when the stars in the sky align with the stars in the hat, I shall finally cleave myself from this dagger and be on the other side of that ice wall before dawn."_

 _Hook then questioned him angrily, "Are you saying there's a bloody way out of here?"_

 _"The Dark One always finds a way," the older man swiftly continued to answer him._

 _"Well… if the Dark One is so powerful… why doesn't he magic his grandson to his side?" the pirate scornfully retorted._

 _Gold finally stopped all that he was doing, then started walking towards his enemy with another small vial of the red powder he had used on Zelena's prison before in hand, while he responded out of frustration by all of Hook's questions, "Because… that would require me knowing where his mothers have locked him away for safekeeping."_

 _Once the Crocodile was standing only inches away from Killian, he glared up at the pirate and spoke cruelly again saying, "Now… unless you really, really have no need for that tongue, I suggest you slither back outside into the hostile current and find Henry. You'll be needing this."_

 _"You won't win," Killian darkly replied to him, as Gold forced the red powder into his hand like he had done before in order to be able to capture the Wicked Witch from Oz inside the hat. "Villains never do."_

 _"Don't be ridiculous, dearie," the true villain smugly answered him once more, as Hook shoved the vial into his coat pocket to hide it away for when he returned outside. "When Belle and Henry wake up tomorrow morning in New York City, they won't remember a thing about tonight. I'll tell them the Snow Queen destroyed Storybrooke, whilst I saved everyone I could. I won't be a villain. I'll be a hero."_

Killian continued to glare at his enemy for a moment longer before he turned to leave his shop once again. However, before he could, the door was suddenly forced open behind him as the bells over the entryway jingled again, shoving him forward when the door struck him against his back, then Emma stormed inside, followed closely by Elsa.

The Savior was fully prepared for another heated confrontation between herself and the Dark One, just as Killian was prepared to leave the shop again to do like he was commanded to do. However, neither were prepared to run into each other. So when Killian spun around to face her once she entered, he could only stare at the woman he loved with dread, while Emma looked back at him in surprise by him being there to confront the Crocodile too, until she remembered the curse and became afraid upon believing Killian had fallen under the spell like everyone else.

She glanced over at Gold, who didn't say anything at first while he thought about how to handle his current predicament, until Emma looked again at the man she was falling in love with and whispered fearfully, "Killian? You shouldn't be here right now. It's not safe…"

However, before she could finish expressing her worry for him, Killian's countenance darkened when he suddenly began to speak to her heartlessly like he had in fact become trapped under the spell as he knew she believed he had saying, "It's Hook… love. That weak old fool isn't here anymore. Only the dreaded pirate who's returned to at last get his revenge by skinning himself his crocodile. Like I should have done a long time ago, instead of allowing you to make me your lovesick puppy dog."

"No… no, this isn't gonna happen," the Savior brusquely responded as she turned to look between both men before her. "This isn't you, Killian. It's the curse that's taken control of your mind. You need to leave. Now… before Gold kills you. What the hell were you thinking by coming here like this? Gold's still immortal and he has magic, remember?"

"I suggest you talk some sense into your pirate, Miss Swan… before I incinerate him for thinking he could come in here and threaten me," the Dark One cruelly replied to her, as he summoned a fireball into the palm of his hand upon following along with his puppet's sudden charade that had come on very much to his surprise.

Elsa raised her hands to be prepared to freeze the villain's fire should he try to attack either of her friends, especially when Killian started to advance on his enemy with his hook raised as well, then Emma struggled to keep him back while the Queen from Arendelle called out, "No! Please… We've come because we need your help, Gold. Despite our… frustrations over what you've done, we need help removing these ribbons from mine and Emma's wrists. My aunt said that the love flowing through them is without equal and that we won't ever be able to remove them. That soon we won't want to remove them. But there has to be a way."

Hook looked down at the yellow ribbon around his love's wrist while she continued to hold him back by his shoulders, as she kept her eyes on the true villain in the room when he answered snidely, "What makes you think I'll do anything to help you now? You didn't accept my help the first time you came to me. So you can forget it this time."

"I don't know why I thought we could get him to help us," the Savior angrily retorted as she continued to glare at him. "And it's certainly not because you're under the curse as well, are you, Gold? You never are because you have a loophole for everything."

"That ice witch's power throughout those ribbons of yours… may be without equal, but perhaps not without an opposite equally as strong," Killian however darkly responded to her in order to keep up with his pretense, yet while lovingly trying to help her to defeat the Snow Queen in the only way he could.

Emma immediately looked back up at him again in surprise as she questioned, "What?"

The Captain sneered at her as he uttered, "You heard me. The rest I'm sure you can figure out yourself."

 _"You're right," she then replied again, as she struggled to put her thoughts together in her mind, then turned her head to look towards Elsa. "If her amplified love put these ribbons on our wrists, then maybe what we need is someone's equally amplified hatred to get them off."_

 _"Emma you're a bit prickly, but you're certainly not hateable," her friend answered her in confusion, still not following Emma's logic._

 _"Tell that to Regina," the Savior darkly responded, as Killian showed a small smile upon listening to the woman he loved figure out what he could have only hoped would help her while Emma and Elsa were focused on one another, yet Gold saw him grin and glared at him until the pirate's smile quickly vanished. "I'm prickly?"_

 _Elsa continued to object to Emma's plan as she replied crossly, "If you let Regina out while she's under the influence of the Snow Queen's curse, she'll kill you."_

 _However, Emma steadfastly answered her, "She'll try. But right now, it's…"_

 _"A theory," the Queen of Arendelle finished for her at last in understanding, despite still not liking the idea of going up against the Evil Queen while she was under the influence of the Snow Queen's dark spell._

 _"The best chance we have," the Savior sternly responded. "If Storybrooke wants to survive, Regina needs to hate me like she's never hated me before."_

Finally, the Dark One cut in at last while he stated curtly, "Good. Now that you seem to have your answers, go out and do like you think you have to do, and leave my shop. Leave Hook and me to the battle as we started centuries ago."

However, Emma looked between the man she cared for and the man filled with hate when they both started to advance towards one another again as she retorted brusquely, "No! I won't let you hurt Killian again, Gold. I warned you, I would protect him from you."

"You're no match to try to stop me from getting what I want, dearie," he cruelly replied to her once more, until he decided it was time to get everyone out of his shop so he and the man under his control could get back to their tasks at hand. "However… if you'd care to make a deal for his protection from me so long as he and everyone else remain trapped under this curse's influence?"

"I don't need her protection, or anyone else's, Crocodile," Killian angrily objected, afraid by what his enemy would want from Emma in return.

Having no more time to argue with either of them, realizing she had no choice but to agree, the Savior cut in again as she answered curtly, "Deal! We have a deal. What is it you want?"

The true villain sneered and then he responded, "Your word you, and the rest of you heroes won't disturb me again until the Snow Queen's been defeated… should you even succeed."

Emma nodded in agreement as she replied, "Fine. You have my word then. So long as you stick to your own. How do you plan to keep Hook from trying to kill you without hurting him?"

"Just this," Gold uttered, then swiftly waved his hands over his enemy to poof him away from his shop within a cloud of red smoke.

"Where the hell did you send him?" the Savior angrily asked the shopkeeper once Hook suddenly disappeared.

He smiled coldly and then answered her, "Someplace safe, I assure you. Down inside one of the prison cells beneath the hospital where he can't escape from in order to try to come after me again. Defeat the Snow Queen and break this curse… and you'll be able to set him free once he's back to the hero you still think of him as."

Elsa finally spoke again sadly saying, "Come on, Emma. We have to get going. I don't mean to sound uncaring, but everyone's depending on us. Not just Hook. He'll be alright."

"He'd better be," Emma briskly responded again, as she glared back at Gold and then finally followed her friend from Arendelle back out into the dangers of those fighting out in the streets so they could make their way to Regina's vault to confront the Evil Queen.

Once the women were gone at last, the Dark One raised his hand and poofed himself down into the mental ward beneath the hospital, then stood in front of the door to one of its cells as he magicked it open without any effort whatsoever, to reveal Killian inside of the room while he was sitting on the bed, waiting for his enemy to come and let him out again.

"For the most part, that was a brilliant performance back there, Captain," Gold pompously said to him, while Killian glared up at him as he remained seated. "I applaud you. I must say… I was truly surprised."

Killian slowly rose back to his feet, then spoke again unemotionally saying, "I had to give Emma some excuse for being in your shop that didn't involve spilling your secret about you holding my heart captive. Just like I was ordered not to. Were it not for you, I'd be under this bloody curse's thrall like everyone else in this town. Seeking revenge against you would be exactly what I would have done if I were."

The true villain replied to him again callously, "Indeed. And I didn't even have to command you to be so cold to the woman you love. Tell me… did that hurt you to treat her with such hostility?"

"You already know my answer to that, Crocodile," Hook quietly answered him, then wearily closed his eyes and laid his forehead against his left arm in defeat once he walked over to stand beside his enemy in the doorway and leaned his body against the wall. "At least I managed to help Emma figure out the answers she came to seek from you."

"And you'll pay for your ingenuity later on, should your efforts actually turn out to be of help to the Savior and Elsa in defeating the Snow Queen," Gold sinisterly responded to him upon being angry with the pirate for trying to defy him yet again. "Oh… and in case you were wondering, I promised the Savior I wouldn't harm you so long as you and everyone remained trapped under the curse's influence. But you, dearie… aren't under the curse's influence, are you? Loophole. You're still mine to do with as I please, until I crush your heart. Now… it's finally time you go out to find my grandson for me. There will be no more delays."

When Killian stood straight so he could move upon being given another order, he looked over at the Dark One while he followed him down the hall towards the stairs leading out of the wing, then asked one last time, "Still to the town line then?"

The Crocodile nodded when they reached the end of the hallway, then replied, "Just like I told you before. Good luck out there, pirate. You'll be needing it. Oh… and do try to avoid running into Miss Swan again."


	62. Chapter 62

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Sixty-Two

Down inside Regina's vault…

Once the Spell of Shattered Sight rained down on the woman who had to work harder than almost everyone else to earn the respect and relationships she'd come to be in, like every villain who fought to become a hero had to do, the Evil Queen rose to power once more, as all of her hate for Snow White and Prince Charming, as well as for Emma came flooding back, like she'd never become the hero everyone had come to see her as despite her own uncertainty to see herself as such.

 _Regina blinked while she struggled to clear the haze within her vision, but when she could finally see clearly, remembering her former self as she looked around at her surroundings and left the main room to climb the stairs to her father's crypt, she stormed towards the closed doors she had sealed by putting up a protection spell to keep herself from leaving, then started pounding against the solid wood in anger upon failing to be able to break through her own magic._

 _"Ugh!" the villainess screamed out in anger. "Ugh! Sealed in my own vault?! Ugh! This is… This is… This is the Savior's doing."_

 _"I should've incinerated her years ago," Regina protested again once she walked downstairs, and returned to the main room with all of her magic. "This is what I get for being subtle!"_

 _And then, when she turned around and stared into her reflection within her magic mirror before her, the Queen studied her appearance as she grumbled darkly, "What the hell am I wearing?"_

 _Without further hesitation, she swiftly magicked herself into one of her old black gowns she used to wear as the Evil Queen, then smiled as she whispered darkly, "I've missed you."_

Inside Granny's Diner…

Ruby screamed and howled from inside her grandmother's freezer, clawing madly after the curse had fallen over her. Minutes beforehand, the young woman came running back into the diner upon leaving the sheriff's station, then begged Granny to lock her inside like she had done back when Ruby feared becoming a wolf during her first change since Regina's curse had been broken. Now, she was safely locked away, so when the full moon rose, the wolf within her could not break out.

Out in the streets within the town square…

Citizens of Storybrooke continued fighting, as close friends and even loved ones turned on one another. Hook left the hospital and carefully made his way through the hostility surrounding him everywhere he turned, in search for Henry at the boy's and Regina's home, and the library. When the Captain didn't find him, he then started making his way towards the town hall to Regina's office.

 _"Say something!" Doc shouted as he stood over the one dwarf who didn't speak at all for whatever his reasons were, as Killian passed by them. "Dopey… say something! Open your mouth! Speak… speak… speak!"_

 _"He's coming!" the Captain could then hear Leroy angrily shouting from behind him and turned to see the grumpy dwarf running out of Granny's, followed soon after by Happy who carried a crossbow in his hands as he followed after his friend and attempted to shoot one of the weapon's arrows at him. "He's coming!"_

 _The usually very happy dwarf angrily shouted back, "And I ain't happy!"_

Outside of Archie's office, Killian saw Marco striking Archie with his own umbrella, as Geppetto yelled, "I don't know why I ever believed you were my friend! Because of you… my parents are dead! Turned to lifeless wooden puppets, which the Blue Fairy and not even the Dark One can remedy."

"I did what I had to do to get out from under my parents," Archie retorted and attempted to shove Marco off of him, only to be struck hard across his face by the handle of his umbrella and lost his glasses as they were knocked off the bridge of his nose, forcing the doctor to have to kneel on the ground to find them again. "And I would do it again, even if I knew what was going to happen to your parents. They were weak and foolish to believe people like my parents were in possession of a miracle cure for the plague."

"They were not weak or fools," the old man crossly replied to him and raised the umbrella again above Archie to attack his friend further. "I should never have trusted you. I should have killed you as you killed them!"

Before Marco could hurt his friend any further, Killian ran towards them and suddenly grabbed hold of the closed umbrella from behind him to stop him, then ripped it from his hands while he answered firmly, "Pardon me for interfering, but believe me when I say you really don't want to be doing this. The two of you are friends, whether you can remember that right now or not."

The Captain then looked down at the older, yet younger looking man still on his knees on the ground as Archie put his glasses back on and reached up to lay his hand over the bloodied gash across his cheek from being struck, then Killian asked, "Are you alright?"

"Why do you care, pirate?" the psychiatrist cruelly bit back as he shoved Killian's hook away when he offered it down to him to help him stand again, then stood on his own while he only glared at Hook. "It's no worse than any of the injuries you gave me yourself back when you kidnapped and tortured me aboard your ship when you first arrived in this God forsaken town."

"Aye," Hook remorsefully answered him and then stepped back, but didn't walk away from them. "Perhaps right now, I don't care. But it's time one of you get out of here. Before you make me do something I'll regret. Get out of here, Cricket. Hide yourself away in your office and lock the doors, or you might just get yourself killed."

When Archie stepped away and ran inside of the building behind him to return to his office like the pirate demanded he do, Marco glared at Killian as he walked past him, then took off down the street as well. The Captain then continued on towards the town hall where he still hoped he would find the boy at last, if just to help keep him off the streets for a little while.

 _Unfortunately, Archie, Marco, and the dwarfs weren't the only ones he passed by on his way, as Granny suddenly walked around the corner in front of him with her own crossbow in hand and when she nearly ran into him, the old woman angrily cried out, "Move it!"_

 _Hook at last just ran around the same corner from where she had come from and thankfully she didn't follow after him. However, someone else did. As the Captain ran, he failed to notice the young thief he had struck nights ago multiple times in his face and blackened his eye, kneeling on the ground over a poor fool who had been knocked unconscious as Will picked his pockets. And when Will saw his assailant run past him, he stood up again, then cautiously followed after Hook._

Once again inside the sheriff's station…

 _Anna walked over to one of the windows to look out and sadly observed the fighting going on outside, while David stood up again from the bed inside of his cell as he walked towards his wife in the other cell, then after falling into another argument with her, he uttered crossly, "That's ridiculous."_

 _"At least I know how to swaddle our child correctly," the older Princess within the room curtly responded as she stared back at her husband coldly, while she leaned against the bars closest to him._

 _"I swaddle him perfectly," he coldly retorted again, as Anna walked back over to the baby still sleeping in his stroller between the cells and the desk where her own fiancé was still cuffed to._

 _Mary Margaret sneered, "He's a baby, not a breakfast burrito."_

 _At last, Anna lost patience with their arguing and turned to face them both when she finally cried out, "Stop it! I mean… I have to say I expected more from the two of you. Use your heads. Think back to what it was like before the spell changed you. Sure, you had issues with each other, but they were minor."_

 _"Minor?" Charming responded to her in disbelief. "Minor? When I first met her, she hit me in the face. If that wasn't a sign, I don't know what is."_

 _"Yes… you responded by hanging me in a net from a tree," his wife snidely replied to him again, as she glared back at the man she loved until the curse made her forget. "You're a real Prince Charming."_

 _The Princess from Arendelle attempted to reason with the two of them again by saying kindly, "Yes… he is Prince Charming, and you're Snow White. And those things sound terrible but they also sound romantic. Can't you see that? Cause if you can see that, then maybe you can defeat this dark spell."_

 _However, Mary Margaret ignored her sweetness and answered darkly, "Someone slip me a poison apple and put me out of my misery."_

 _"Oh!" Kristoff finally groaned in frustration upon having to listen to their bickering this long as well, then pleaded with Anna to do the same for him. "Me! Pick me!"_

 _"Oh… shut it, Ice Man," his friend from the Enchanted Forest years ago brusquely responded to him._

 _Kristoff glared back at him as he retorted, "Ice Man? Who you calling Ice Man, stable boy?"_

 _David shouted back at him, "I'm calling you Ice Man. And you're from Arendelle. What are you doing selling ice? The whole place is frozen!"_

 _"Ice is a very important commodity," the Ice Master replied again._

 _"You know what, Swiss Miss?" Mary Margaret then darkly whispered to Anna again, as she turned from looking at her husband to face her instead. "You do know me. I pick flowers. I talk to birds. I do all kinds of warm, fuzzy things. And you know what else? I kill. Yeah, that's right. Snow White's a murderer. I killed the Evil Queen's mommy. And I said I was sorry… And it didn't mean it."_

 _Anna stared at her in horror as she answered, "That's horrible."_

 _The older woman smiled at her again coldly while she questioned, "Still wanna hold hands? Sing Zip-a-dee-doo-dah?"_

 _Anna finally just sighed in frustration and walked away from them without saying another word to try to keep them from arguing with one another. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything she could do to keep them or the man she loved from acting so hateful, just like she now understood she couldn't help trapping her own sister inside the urn thirty years earlier either._

Meanwhile…

After they left Gold's shop, Emma and Elsa ran and made their way to the cemetery as quickly as they were able to so they could confront their friend they now knew was the Evil Queen once again now that Regina was consumed by the curse like everyone else. Killian had helped to give them their best chance to rid themselves of the yellow ribbons around their wrists and while both women were worried about facing off against Regina in her worst state, there were no other options available.

 _When they finally reached Regina's vault, the Savior swiftly bent down to pick up a rock and threw it against the wooden doors in order to find out what kind of magic containing the Evil Queen inside that they were dealing with, while she stated gruffly, "Okay… stand back."_

 _"Containment spell," she then uttered again sternly and shook her hands to try to prepare herself for what she had to do next. "Okay. Here goes."_

 _"You can do it," Elsa encouragingly whispered to her a few moments later, when the Savior's first attempt to release her magic against Regina's failed her._

 _"Okay…" she responded as she jumped up and down a few times, breathed deeply, and shook her hands once more before she tried again, then at last, the Savior finally broke through the Queen's protection spell that barred them from entering the vault. "Well… I'm still getting the hang of the controlling the magic thing. But lucky for us, the next part should be easy for me."_

 _The Queen of Arendelle looked at her in confusion as she asked, "What's that?"_

 _Emma glanced back at her as she replied sternly, "Being prickly."_

 _"Whoa… Little late for Halloween," she then mockingly said to Regina once she and Elsa ran inside and down into the room where they expected they would find the Evil Queen waiting for them, becoming taken aback by her appearance Emma had only seen while she and Killian had been in her parents' past during their time traveling adventure._

 _"You," Regina sneered as she glared back at the Savior when she approached her and then stood up from the trunk she had been sitting on to face her own enemy._

 _Knowing that she needed to continue to goad Regina into releasing her dark magic against them, the Savior ridiculed her again as she asked, "How do you walk in that thing?"_

 _The villainess lifted her chin in the air while she answered proudly, "With the poise and composure of a Queen. Perfect timing, Miss Swan. I was just reading up on how to turn you into a garden topiary."_

 _"What's she doing here?" the Evil Queen then asked when she turned her head upon noticing Elsa step forward from behind Emma while she entered the room as well._

 _"I wanted to see your face when you learned the truth," Elsa cruelly responded to her._

 _Regina glared between the two women before her while she questioned again, "The truth about what?"_

 _Emma continued coldly, "I lied to you, Regina. About Marian… or, Zelena. I knew all along. I brought her here on purpose."_

 _"Tell me something I don't know," the villainess darkly replied as she began to grow angry._

 _"What you don't know is why," the Savior maliciously answered her again. "Not only did I wanna break your heart… to try to tear you and Robin apart, but I wanted you to see me and Hook together. To see the happiness you could never have and ruin it again, just like my mother did."_

 _The Evil Queen at last summoned a fireball within the palm of her hand as she responded to her enemy furiously, "I've been waiting a long time for this."_

 _All of a sudden, Regina viciously fired her fireball directly at Emma to try to kill her. But instead of her dark power striking her or the woman with ice magic, the Savior swiftly grabbed her friend's wrist and they raised their arms high above their heads while she and Elsa ducked down in order to get the flames to burn away the yellow ribbons keeping them both connected to the Snow Queen. The Evil Queen growled angrily upon seeing she had failed to harm them, but once the ribbons were destroyed, Emma immediately unleashed her own powers against Regina to force her back through the air and to the ground, to knock her down just long enough for her and Elsa to run away before the villainess could retaliate again against them._

 _She swiftly grabbed Elsa's arm to pull her along with her as she fled from the vault and cried, "Let's go."_

 _"Swan!" the Evil Queen then screamed out angrily, after she struggled to get back on her feet and then started after them._

Within the hallway outside of the Mayor's office…

At last, Killian arrived at the town hall and cautiously walked inside the building, not knowing what he was expecting to find other than Emma's son. He knew Regina would have put up at least one protection spell in order to make sure that the boy remained safe throughout the terrible ordeal all those throughout Storybrooke were trapped under. However, he half expected there to be booby traps of sorts as well, so he was wary of his surroundings until he finally made it and stood just outside of the office door.

 _"Henry," the pirate Captain reluctantly called out to the teenager through the door once he reached down to the handle to test it, finding it locked and the door sealed tight. "I know you're in there, mate. I need you to come with me now."_

 _Not that Killian expected retrieving Henry would be easy, but he became frustrated when he retorted, "There's no way I'm going anywhere with a dirty pirate."_

 _However, the Captain shrugged it off and replied spiritedly, "Dirty? I bathe quite frequently, thank you very much."_

 _"I never liked you, and I like you even less now that you and my mom are together," the Mayor's adopted son cruelly answered him again without standing from the chair on which he sat._

 _"Emma used that word?" Killian pompously questioned him. "Together?"_

 _Growing frustrated himself from the pirate not taking the hint to go away, Henry finally shouted, "Go!"_

 _Hook sighed in his own frustration upon losing his patience, then he attempted to open the door again while he spoke brusquely again saying, "Okay. Henry… I need to bring you somewhere safe."_

 _"All right," he sternly whispered when the door didn't budge at all, and finally reached into his jacket pocket to pull out the vial of red powder, then Killian poured it over the door as he yelled out through the door once again. "I'm coming in!"_

Hook froze a moment as he reached down to the door handle and tried to resist against the Dark One's command to collect the boy he had come to care deeply about since his arrival in town over a year ago, not wanting to kidnap him for the Crocodile even if doing so might actually spare him from being killed in the Snow Queen's curse should Emma and Elsa be unsuccessful in stopping her.

 _However, when he suddenly felt the strain around his heart as he tried to resist, Killian finally complied once again and opened the door, then walked into the room. Unfortunately, he failed to see the marbles on the floor at his feet because he looked at Henry straightaway as he entered, so he immediately slipped and fell backwards, landing roughly against the tiny round stones and the hard floor beneath him._

 _"Uhh!" Killian weakly moaned painfully from the fall and struggled to get back up to his feet against amidst the marbles still lying on the floor all around him, while Henry swiftly ran past him through the doorway to escape from him. "Henry! I'm just trying to do what's best for you!"_

 _At last, Hook made it back to his feet and outside of the room, then started to run after the boy, but as he did so, Will Scarlet suddenly appeared in the hall in front of him and blocked his path while the thief stated coldly, "I've been looking for you, pirate. Come to pay you back for that shiner you gave me."_

 _Hook tilted his head back out of frustration, then looked at him again darkly as he responded, "Now's not the time, mate."_

 _"Oh… it bloody well is the time!" the much younger man shouted back and lifted his fists in front of him to provoke a fight between them. "Now let's see how hard you are without your girlfriend 'round to protect ya."_

 _Thankfully, Killian didn't have to put up much of a fight at all, when Will swiftly charged at him without thinking and the pirate easily managed to knock him out cold by knocking him headfirst against the wall just behind him once he sidestepped him. The thief groaned as he struck the wall, then landed roughly against the floor._

 _"Henry!" Killian then cried out once he finally ran from the room, so he could continue trying to find Henry again without any further interruptions._

Back inside the sheriff's station…

Having failed to keep up with Emma and Elsa once they fled from her vault, the Evil Queen entered the Savior's place of work thinking she might have run there where she had left David and Mary Margaret, knowing that Emma's parents would both be locked up within the cells.

 _"Well… well… well…" she smugly uttered in amusement upon seeing her rivals still locked behind prison bars and walked further into the room, while Anna immediately picked up Neal within her arms out of worry so she could try to protect him from the villainess the best she could, and Kristoff stood straight. "Isn't this my lucky day? I had come here to kill Emma, but now I get to kill the two idiots who started it all."_

 _David glanced towards his wife before keeping his attention on the villainess and replied callously, "Hey… I wasn't the one that told Cora about your secret boyfriend."_

 _Mary Margaret glared over at him as she retorted coldly, "Are you selling me out?"_

 _"Shut up!" Regina angrily shouted at them to get them to quit bickering. "You both deserve to die. Not just for what you did, but for your whining. But your punishments should fit your crimes. Mary Margaret… you took my first true love from me."_

"So now… I'm going to repay the favor by taking your one true love away from you too," she darkly continued and started towards the Prince within the cell next to the Princess' own, then immediately raised her hand to begin to choke David in a magical hold around his throat.

 _Anna quickly stepped forward then in hope she could stop her from hurting David further as she pleaded, "Please, Your Majesty… Let's be reasonable. You're under the Snow Queen's spell. You don't actually hate Mary Margaret and David."_

 _Unfortunately, Kristoff chose then to talk as he said callously as well, "It does sound like she has her reasons."_

 _"Kristoff!" the Princess from Arendelle cried out to her fiancé in frustration._

 _"I don't know who you are, but why don't you go back to where you came from?" the Evil Queen uttered in frustration without looking over at them and released David, who swiftly collapsed to the floor, then she waved her hands to poof Kristoff and Anna somewhere away from the station so she could get back to her vengeance against Snow White and Prince Charming at last, leaving baby Neal alone as he remained asleep within his stroller._

 _She then spoke again sinisterly saying, "Where was I?"_

 _Regina forced David back and held him against the wall before binding his body to the wall by creating bonds made of brick around his wrists and ankles like she'd done before just after the wraith attack, then used her power to also open the Princess' cell door, and Mary Margaret questioned her darkly, "Gonna use your magic, Regina? You afraid to get your hands dirty?"_

 _"I don't need magic to kill either of you," the villainess cruelly answered her and summoned a sword into her stepdaughter's hand, as well as one into own. "Magic is too good for you. I want to watch you bleed."_

"Let's just see which one of us bleeds first," Mary Margaret viciously responded, then suddenly charged against the Evil Queen, screaming out in anger. 


	63. Chapter 63

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Sixty-Three

Meanwhile…

Once Emma and Elsa were able to escape from the Evil Queen's wrath so she wouldn't be able to chase after them any further, they ran back into town, then when they finally stopped running to catch their breaths, Elsa looked over at her friend as she asked worryingly, "How are we going to… to find Ingrid now? We still don't know where her ice cave is. And she could be anywhere."

The Savior looked back at her and nodded, then she responded gruffly, "I know. I was thinking… the same thing. But she's around here somewhere. We just have to think…"

"Then again, we might not have to look too hard," Emma continued again after she had cut herself off upon noticing a trail of ice on the ground a few feet ahead of them leading past the library and in the direction of the woods. "The Snow Queen left behind a trail for us to follow."

"It's a trap, you know?" Elsa apprehensively replied to her.

Emma sighed in frustration and then she answered, "Yeah… I do. But we don't really have a choice. At least now we have a fighting chance to defeat her without her ribbons to keep us powerless against her. Come on."

 _Once the Savior and the true Queen of Arendelle followed the icy trail and found the villainess' lair at last, the heroes cautiously walked inside where Ingrid was waiting for them to come to her, then she stepped out before them and spoke to them affectionately saying, "_ _You two have no idea how long I've waited for this moment."_

 _"Your ribbons…" she then began to question them in disappointment upon seeing that they had been destroyed when Emma and Elsa raised their hands out to defend themselves against the Snow Queen as they prepared for a fight. "What have you done?"_

 _"I'm not much for accessories," Emma briskly responded to her._

 _The villainess continued sadly, "Those ribbons joined us together."_

 _The Savior glared at her while she replied to the Snow Queen in anger, "Get it through your head, lady. We're not your sisters and we're never gonna love you."_

 _"Oh, Emma…" Ingrid answered her again with a sigh in frustration, then sat down at the table a few feet away in front of them. "I know that you actually believe that. And… It makes me sad. But I know that sadness won't last because soon, you'll see you're wrong."_

 _"Don't do it!" Emma swiftly cried out and raised her hands up higher like Elsa did when the villainess started to reach down for something beside her, then pulled up two purples stones in her hands and held them out for them to see. "What the hell are those?"_

 _The Snow Queen smiled at both women and responded softly, "They're memories I took from the two of you. And now it's time to give them back."_

 _The Savior asked her coldly, "Why? So we can remember just how badly you treated us?"_

 _"The funny thing about time is, we romanticize the good and forget the bad," Ingrid calmly replied while she stared down at the memory stones she continued to hold. "That's exactly what's in these crystals. These are the good memories and nothing else. Lovely moments the two of you shared with me, which I'll cherish forever and now so will you."_

 _However, Emma remained stubborn as she answered her petulantly, "I hate to break it to you, but magic can't make someone love you."_

 _The villainess nodded and responded again, "You're right, Emma. Magic can't create love. But if someone loved you in the past, it can make them love you again. And I know you've forgotten, Emma, but you did love me. You both did."_

 _"That's why… Right now, you're not doing anything," she added when she stood up and began to walk towards the women she saw as her sisters, then passed between them fearlessly before turning back around to face them again. "We all know the only way to stop me is to kill me, and you're both… hesitating. You don't have it in you."_

"You wanna bet?" Emma darkly retorted, then discharged her power once more against the Snow Queen to knock her back through the air like she had done the day they had first met when Ingrid had tried to kill Hook.

Ingrid struggled to sit up again after she struck the far wall behind her with as much force as the Savior could muster up within herself, then looked up at her pleadingly and whispered, "I know… I know you're angry Emma. I've done much that you think was meant to be cruel, but I did it all out of love."

Elsa finally spoke as she replied brusquely, "You call what you've done to us, love?"

"Yes… I do," the villainess answered her niece.

"You tried to make me doubt everything I've fought so hard for!" the Savior angrily yelled at her. "You forced your way into my head so I would become angry and lose control of my powers. You made me afraid of myself and that I would hurt those I care about. And I did hurt them. Killian and my father. I wanted to rid myself of my magic again. I thought it was the only way I could protect them. Thanks to you, I was almost killed by the Dark One after I went to him for help. And on top of all that… you also hurt Killian because he loves me. You made him hate himself so much for having only one hand, that he felt he had no other choice but to turn to Gold for help too and in doing so, it cost him so much more and caused him pain. That isn't love, Your Majesty. That's terror and I won't forgive you for causing so much pain and suffering no matter what kind of past we shared. Your reign over Storybrooke ends tonight. Now reverse your spell, or you'll leave me with no choice but to kill you. I don't want to, but if it comes to saving everyone, or sparing your life…"

The Snow Queen stood back on her feet again and then she interrupted, "You may be angry and you think you have what it takes to kill me, but you don't, Emma. You don't know yet what it takes to take a life. You're a Savior. Not a killer."

She then turned to her niece again and added, "Neither do you, my sweet Elsa. And like I've said, the only way to end this spell is for me to die and I'm not willing to give my life to save anyone else here."

On the beach…

After Regina banished Anna and Kristoff from the station, the Princess and her fiancé appeared on the beach in front of the trunk that they had nearly drowned in after being thrown into the ocean by Prince Hans and Black Beard, until Elsa had wished upon the Wishing Star to save them.

 _"Where did she send us?" Kristoff shouted out in frustration, as he stormed across the sand towards the ocean, until he noticed the chest and scoffed._

 _"She tried to send us back to where we came from, and this was the closest spot," Anna worryingly responded as she followed behind the man she loved. "Where are you going?"_

 _The Ice Master replied curtly, "I'm going back to Arendelle, even if I have to swim there."_

 _She contradicted him as she answered again, "I don't think that's how portals work. I mean, sure… I've only ever been through one, but they seem pretty one way."_

 _"I'm tired of this!" Kristoff suddenly shouted back at her when he finally spun around to confront the woman he truly loved beneath the curse's thrall. "My life used to be simple… Just me and Sven. No sister in law who sets off eternal winters. No crazy aunt who wants to kill everyone I know. No fiancée who delays my wedding for thirty years!"_

 _The Princess responded to him crossly, "That wasn't my fault. Okay… the first few weeks were, but we were frozen for the rest of it! Uhh!"_

 _Anna swiftly fell in the sand when she slipped on something beneath her feet as she continued to walk after him, then reached down to pick up what she discovered to be a glass bottle. Without looking to see if anything was inside of it, she stood again on her feet and wiped herself off._

 _Not caring that she fell, Kristoff turned back towards the ocean again and began to remove his boots while he continued to yell, "You know what? I'm tired of listening to you, and I'm tired of listening to reason. I'm going back, and nothing you do will stop me!"_

 _"Sorry, Kristoff…" she stated again in frustration as she raised the bottle in the air behind him, then suddenly struck him hard across the back of his head in order to knock him unconscious so that he couldn't fight with her any longer, or foolishly try to swim out into the middle of the ocean to drown in the belief he would find a way back home. "But you'll thank me later. I'll make it up to you… I promise."_

Once he collapsed against the ground, Anna immediately knelt down beside him to make sure he was alright, then let out a sigh of relief upon seeing that the wound she caused him on the back of his head wasn't too bad and certainly not life threatening. However, it still pained her to have to hurt him, especially since he was still hurting badly from the bullet wound in his shoulder.

 _At last, she looked down beside them in the sand upon noticing a piece of parchment had fallen out of the bottle when she had broken it and then picked it up to read what was written on it. As she did, Anna was shocked to discover the words were written in her mother's handwriting and that the letter was addressed to her and Elsa._

 _"Kristoff!" Anna suddenly whispered excitedly as she continued reading it, while she reached out to try to rouse the man she loved, having forgotten for a moment that she had rendered him unconscious. "Kristoff… do you have any idea what this is?!"_

 _"Oh… Right," she then said upon remembering, when she finally glanced down at him again after he didn't answer her, but she still continued to try to bring him back around. "I knocked you out. Wake up! We have to take this to Elsa!"_

 _Unfortunately, he still didn't come to, so the Princess leaned in closer and kissed his cheek in apology and excitement, then she stood up as she happily cried, "I love you! You're amazing! You're unconscious. I'll be right back. Stay here. I mean… I know you'll stay here, but I'll be right back anyway!"_

At last, Anna ran away from the man she loved and the beach and headed back into town to try to find her sister and the Savior so she could show them what she discovered. However, as she ran into the square, the Princess had no idea where to even begin looking for them. At least not until she too discovered her aunt's ice trail she had left behind, which Anna hoped was for Elsa and Emma to follow after the villainess. So, she followed the ice trail deep into the woods until she too finally came upon Ingrid's lair and nervously entered inside.

Inside the station again…

Regina and Mary Margaret had begun to clash swords in a battle in which both women were even fighters. It was only a matter of time before one of them finally lost, but neither were willing to give up their hate towards one another and so the battle raged on, while David remained bound against the wall within his cell, helpless to do anything but watch on.

 _Finally, Regina suddenly struck Mary Margaret with the hilt of her sword square in her back with brute force, causing the Princess to fall hard against the floor as she painfully cried out, then her stepmother spoke cruelly saying, "Let me know when you're tired of missing, Mary Margaret."_

 _"I only have to hit you once," the younger woman angrily retorted, but the Evil Queen once again managed to shove her back down to the floor as Mary Margaret groaned. "Uhh…"_

 _"My, my… Aren't you a good a sleeper?" Regina then snidely said when she turned to look down at the Charmings' son still fast asleep within his stroller while the fight continued on around him upon having a free moment as the Princess struggled to get back onto her feet._

 _Mary Margaret brought her sword back up again and the women continued to battle one another, as David still struggled to break free from his restraints, then his wife shouted at the villainess again, "You think this spell has made me angry? Do not wake my baby!"_

 _When she moved in to attack Regina again, the Evil Queen suddenly summoned her powers to strike Mary Margaret back against the floor again upon growing tired of an even fight and the Princess glared up at her as she cried out, "You said no magic."_

 _"And you said you could keep a secret!" Regina cruelly retorted._

 _"I… was… ten!" her stepdaughter screamed back and angrily charged the Queen once again unrelentingly with her sword raised high._

Still out on the streets…

Killian continued looking for Henry everywhere he could think of, after the twelve year old had run off on him while Will Scarlet kept him detained by trying to goad the pirate into a fight. Unfortunately, the boy was nowhere to be found and Hook understood that he knew Storybrooke better than everyone. If there was one person who could disappear within their own town not wanting to be found, it was Henry. However, Killian had no choice but to continue to brave the dangers out on the streets, as he kept searching for him all through the night on account of the Dark One's orders to find him. So he complied. He could only hope that Henry was safe now that he was out among the dangers too.

Once more within the Snow Queen's lair…

 _When Ingrid finally was able to rise back to her feet, she then lifted her head again to look between the women still in front of her as she whispered tenderly, "It's okay. Come… Be my sisters."_

 _Elsa raised her hands to attempt to blast her back with her own icy magic like Emma had already struck out against her once and yet she hesitated, until she finally lowered her hands again, then apprehensively stated, "I can't do it, Emma. I can't hurt her."_

 _"Yeah… well, I can," the Savior sternly replied as she lifted her hands and was about to send the villainess flying again, but then all of a sudden, Anna came running into the lair much to everyone's surprise and moved to stand between her sister and the Savior._

 _"Wait!" she cried out as she did so. "Stop!"_

 _The true Queen of Arendelle immediately pleaded to Anan in fear, "Anna! No… she's too dangerous."_

 _The Snow Queen looked at her younger niece coldly as she spoke in agreement with Elsa brusquely saying, "You should listen to my sister and go."_

 _"Your sister?" Anna retorted angrily as she attempted to lash out against her, while Elsa and Emma both held her back. "She's mine. And whatever you're gonna do? Well… Don't."_

 _"Elsa, I found this on the beach," she then continued as she turned to her sister after she pulled out the letter to them to show it to her. "It's from our mother. She must've thrown it into the ocean before their ship sank. It came over in the portal with us."_

 _When Emma glanced over at Ingrid, who looked between them in disbelief upon hearing her true sister had written a letter before her death, she nervously whispered, "Oh… just be careful."_

 _However, the older Princess answered her curtly, "No. I'm not gonna be careful. She needs to hear this. You all do. 'Elsa… Anna… I don't know if your father and I will ever get back to you, but I need you to know we were wrong to tell Elsa to conceal her powers."_

 _"How fitting that you, who are so much like your mother, should share her last words," the villainess cruelly said again as she raised her hand preparing to attack her to get her to stop._

 _Yet, Anna ignored her as she kept reading, "I feel terrible that it happened before and I can't let it happen again."_

 _Upon hearing these last words from Gerda, Ingrid uttered out of disbelief, "What?"_

 _"My sister Ingrid… like you, also had ice powers," the young woman continued on. "I never told you about her or my other sister Helga, but I should have. They were beautiful and kind and wonderful, and I was fearful. And I let that fear guide me. I let Ingrid hide, when I should have celebrated her for the person she was. I loved her so much."_

 _"You're lying!" the Snow Queen suddenly shouted at Anna, through the tears that formed in her eyes upon listening to her sister's words about her love for her. "My sister hated me! She called me a monster! She put me in that urn, like you did Elsa!"_

 _However, Anna still didn't stop, as she pulled out the purple stone that had been sealed to the parchment with candle wax and read, "In this crystal are the memories of my sisters, which I stole from the people of Arendelle. Please return them. My sisters deserve to be known. In a cave in the north valley, you'll find an urn that contains Ingrid. Please do what I should have done long ago and release her. When you see her, please tell her I love her and I'm sorry. I'd give anything to take back what I did. To hold her hands one more time."_

 _At last, Anna finished her mother's letter as she slowly neared her aunt and smiled at her lovingly upon seeing Ingrid crying over the words spoken. However, a few moments later, the villainess' anger broke through her sadness, and she raised her hand again, then swiftly began to choke her niece._

 _Elsa immediately rushed to her sister while she cried out, "Ingrid!"_

 _"Let her go!" Emma shouted at Ingrid threateningly, as she attempted to help Anna as well, until the villainess blasted both of the other women back like the Savior had done to her earlier so she could continue to attack the Princess._

 _"I understand, Aunt Ingrid," Anna struggled to plead with her in a strained voice against her aunt's chokehold that was slowly killing her. "I understand now why you cast this curse. But you can come back from it."_

 _The Snow Queen forced her down to her knees while she retorted furiously, "Understand me? How could you? You're nothing like me! You understand nothing!"_

 _Her younger niece inhaled sharply as Anna fought to breathe and continued to try to get through to her aunt when she responded sadly, "You're right. I'm not like you. My mother wasn't like you. But if she was able to love you for who you are, so can I. You're a part of our family no matter what. And family never gives up on each other."_

 _"You lie!" Ingrid screamed, then suddenly struck the Princess across her cheek to knock her all the way down to the ground and grabbed the letter from her to read it, while Emma and Elsa rose back to their knees to help Anna._

 _"Oh… Oh, Gerda…" she desperately cried out in fear upon thinking through all the pain she's caused as she read her sister's words, and was reminded of her past with both of her sisters when she released the memories of them together which the rock trolls had taken from all of those in Arendelle, then collapsed to her knees. "Oh… What have I done?"_

 _At last, the Snow Queen stood back up and walked to what remained of her own magic mirror while she spoke firmly saying, "I need to reverse this."_

 _However, Anna replied to her beseechingly, "You can't. The only way is if you…"_

 _"I know," the villainess stated in understanding of what she had to do in order to save everyone from her own sins. "I have to destroy myself."_

 _"No, Ingrid," Elsa pleaded with her._

 _Emma cried out to her, "Wait!"_

 _But the Snow Queen turned back to face them sadly while she began to pull all of the glass shards from within her spell down and cast them within herself, then answered, "There's no other way. I am a monster. Not because of my powers, but because of what I let them turn me into. I have to undo this."_

 _"No, Ingrid…" her older niece sadly responded to her. "You'll die."_

 _"I know," Ingrid replied, her voice breaking from despair and anguish while she looked lovingly between each one of them. "It's okay. Elsa… Anna… you found each other. And Emma… you found your family even if it wasn't with me."_

 _She then gasped in pain as she released Emma's and Elsa's memories from the purple stones in her possession while she continued, "You… You deserve your memories. You three are so special. Never forget that. Oh!"_

 _However, Emma shook her head as she retorted, "There has to be another way. You deserve your happy ending too."_

 _"Long ago, a prophecy told me that you would lead me to just that, Emma," Ingrid happily answered her. "And this is it. All I wanted was to have my sisters' love, and… Now I have it. Now… I get to join them."_

"Tell Hook… I'm sorry, and… I love each of you," Ingrid whispered, until at last each of the shards vanished within her body and turned her into a squall of snowflakes that dispersed from within her lair throughout all of Storybrooke to end the curse as she died, returning her soul to where she truly longed to be most… with her sisters.

 _While Elsa and Anna held one another as they grieved for their aunt, Emma stared up at the snow now falling all around them and said with remorse, "She sacrificed herself for us. For all of us."_

 _Finally, Elsa pulled back from hers and Anna's embrace and bent down to pick up their mother's letter from the ground where Ingrid had dropped it, then looked into her sister's eyes as she spoke unwaveringly saying, "We must follow through on our mother's last wish. We must bring back the memory of Ingrid and Helga to the people of Arendelle."_

 _"We will," Anna responded assuredly._

She then started to walk alongside Elsa and Emma so they could leave the ice cave, until the Princess suddenly stopped as she cried out, "Oh… Kristoff! I have… I left him behind unconscious on the beach. I knocked him out! It's a long story. But I have to make sure he's okay."

Elsa looked over at Emma, who nodded to her to show it was okay for her to go with her sister, then once they ran off to return to Anna's fiancé, the Savior quickly sent off a message to Gold to find out which cell beneath the hospital he had locked Killian away in, and finally ran back into town as fast as she could, only stopping enough to catch her breath when she needed to.

In the meantime, out on the streets…

A number of people continued fighting one another against their wills, including Grumpy, Doc, Bashful, Dopey, Sneezy, Happy, Granny, Ruby, and Marco, until snow suddenly rained over them and before they could understand what was happening, they froze as they began to look all around them and up at the snow in awe. And once they all began to realize that the Snow Queen's spell had been broken upon feeling like themselves once more, they immediately began to laugh with joy and embraced their loved ones.

Inside the sheriff's station…

As the curse was broken, Regina and Mary Margaret immediately stopped their fighting and dropped their swords, while the Princess backed away from her stepmother upon releasing her. Regina slowly turned around feeling dazed by the sudden change that had come over her, as Mary Margaret and David both felt as well, then she glanced inside the Prince's cell to find that he was still bound against the wall. The Queen swiftly undid her spell and freed him as he collapsed to the floor.

 _"What am I wearing?" she then questioned as she looked down upon herself and noticed her sinister black gown, then all of a sudden, the three of them began to laugh while they all came to find their fighting humorous._

Inside Gold's Pawnshop…

When the Dark One looked out his window and discovered that the Snow Queen had been defeated upon seeing the snow falling, he growled darkly and in contempt towards the Savior and the true Queen of Arendelle, not knowing yet that Anna had arrived within their town.

He then turned to look over at his sleeping wife lying on the cot he magicked for her into his shop's main room so he could watch over her, until he felt his phone vibrate within his pants pocket and pulled it out to read the message left to him from Emma, asking him where he had hidden the pirate away.

However, before he answered her message, Gold walked over to the back counter to open his satchel, then reached inside to pull out Killian's heart once more and commanded him to return to his cell right away, then to lock himself inside so he could wait for Emma to come rescue him. Once he felt through the glowing organ that Hook had complied, the Dark One texted Emma back, then finally ordered his puppet to return to his shop the moment he had a clear chance to.

A short time later, within the mental ward of the hospital…

When the Savior arrived, she charged through the hallway until she came at last upon the cell Gold had told her she would find Killian in, then used her magic to unlock its door and to open it. And in the moment she found him inside, as he sat upon the cell's cot waiting to be released, she immediately ran into his arms once he stood up to embrace her as well. They continued to hold one another, until Emma finally pulled back just enough so she could look up into his eyes and was saddened to see how much worse off he looked since she'd seen him the night before, yet he still smiled down on her while he continued to maintain his brave face.

"I'm so happy to see you're back to being you," Emma lovingly whispered, as she began to run her fingers through his hair, then caressed his cheek. "Seeing you seeking your revenge against Gold again… even after all he's done over the last few days, really scared me."

Killian looked down into her eyes, as she looked up into his while he replied, "Yet you protected me. And you've defeated the Snow Queen."

The Savior shook her head, then she answered, "That wasn't me. It was Anna. She saved us all by reminding Ingrid of her real sisters' love for her. She's gone, but… even the Snow Queen got her happy ending. Let's get out of here. I need to find my family."

Together, they returned to the streets where everyone was celebrating being together again and the curse being broken. When Emma saw her loved ones, she immediately rushed to embrace them as they pulled her close to hold her too. As they talked, Killian slipped away to Gold's shop.

 _A few minutes later, Gold was standing over his still sleeping wife while he studied her beautiful features, until Hook entered, then he turned around to face his oldest enemy as Killian neared him and spoke dismally, "Henry got away."_

 _"So you failed," the true villain crossly responded, having noticed the pained expression on the pirate's face from his fall on the marbles, yet decided not to say a word about it. "At kidnapping a child."_

 _"Well, perhaps you could say my heart wasn't in it," the Captain darkly retorted._

 _"The Snow Queen's plan also failed," Gold replied again, ignoring Hook's snide remark luckily for him. "But mine won't. Enjoy this snowfall, dearie. It'll be your last."_

 _Killian looked at him as he spoke sternly again saying, "Then grant me one dying wish."_

 _The Dark One retorted, "I'm not in the business of making deals with you anymore."_

 _"Leave Emma and the rest of Storybrooke be," the younger man pleaded with his enemy anyways. "There's no need to harm them."_

 _"When I step over that town line with my magic intact, Emma and Storybrooke have nothing to fear from me," the Crocodile honestly answered him, then cruelly continued. "As long as they don't get in my way. But I can't make that same promise for the rest of the world."_

And with that being said, the Dark One walked out of his shop with a smug smile on his face, leaving Killian behind to brood about having mere hours left to live, with the knowledge that those he loved could still suffer should they interfere. Because he helped make it possible for his enemy to get this far in his plans to cleave himself once and for all from his dagger. 


	64. Chapter 64

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Sixty-Four

Once more on the beach…

Anna and Elsa made their way back to the beach from their aunt's lair as fast as they were able to so they could return to Kristoff. When they finally reached him again, Anna's fiancé was still unconscious and the Princess feared she had hurt him far more than she realized she had on top of him already being wounded from the wound in his shoulder. She swiftly rushed to him ahead of her sister upon seeing him lying still within the sand, then collapsed to her knees beside the man she loved while she carefully pulled Kristoff into her arms.

"Kristoff!" she fearfully cried out to him and then gently began to shake him within her arms to try to rouse him. "Kristoff, please… please wake up! Oh… please be okay. Elsa… what have I done?"

"He's going to be alright, Anna," Elsa softly assured her, as she knelt down in the sand beside them, then leaned in closer to look more closely at the gash in the back of his head from where Anna had struck him, and the bullet wound too. "The injury from when you struck him with the bottle doesn't look so bad. At least I don't think so. However, the wound in his shoulder has begun to bleed out again. It's possibly infected. Most likely. We need to get him back into town… to the doctor."

However, Kristoff finally awoke then as he struggled to move, and upon hearing Elsa mention bringing him to the doctor, he answered, "No… no, I'm fine. I just need… I need a little help sitting up. And possibly something… something to help ease the pain in my head."

While the women helped Kristoff sit up like he asked of them, his fiancée happily exclaimed out of relief, "Oh, Kristoff… thank goodness you're okay! And you're back to your loving self again now that Ingrid's curse has been broken. I was so worried I was going to lose you tonight too. I'm so sorry I hurt you. I didn't want to hurt you, but then you were acting crazy and you actually wanted to swim home. You were going to drown, so I…"

"Whoa… whoa… whoa… Anna, slow down," he finally interrupted her in order to get her to stop talking so much and too fast. "And calm down. You saved me from being such an idiot and killing myself. Believe me… I am grateful for what you did despite my headache. And I'm sorry for those things I said to you. You know… back in the station and before you knocked me out? I didn't mean them. I love you. And if I had to wait another thirty years to marry you, I would. But please let's not. I want to marry you as soon as we get home. Did you say you were afraid of losing me tonight too? Who…?"

"Ingrid," Elsa replied to him before he could finish asking. "She sacrificed herself to end the curse and to save us all. Anna reminded her and us of our aunt's sisters' love and we remembered our love for Ingrid as well. But we can explain everything on our way back into town. We still have to find a way home and I have to bring that ice wall down at last. And you need to see Dr. Whale. He can help you with your headache. Come on… let's go."

A few hours later…

 _Emma, Killian, Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Henry, David, and Mary Margaret all gathered together once again in front of the ice wall at the town line so they could at last bring it down now that the Snow Queen's power was no longer preventing Elsa from being able to use her own ice magic to get rid of it._

 _Before the true Queen of Arendelle began, the heroes all stared up at its height and size like they observed before, as Anna spoke in awe upon seeing the wall for the first time since her arrival in Storybrooke saying, "_ _Wow… that is a lot of ice."_

 _Elsa then stepped forward and approached it while she responded with relief, "And it's time for it to come down."_

 _Once she was standing a few feet away, Elsa raised her hands in front of her and discharged her powers to shatter the ice before them until at last the wall came down and dissipated into nothingness, as though the wall never existed. Her sister, brother in law, and their friends all watched her work in amazement, and when she finished, the Queen smiled proudly at her accomplishment, as did everyone else._

 _"Okay," Anna then stated eagerly, as she started to skip towards the town line in excitement. "Now can we go back home?"_

 _"Stop!" Emma then suddenly cried out before she could cross it and rushed forward to move between her and the line. "Don't take another step! That's the town line."_

 _The Princess turned her head to look at the Savior in confusion and uttered, "Right. But I want to leave the town. Didn't I just say that?"_

 _Emma stared in front of her as though she was seeing something no one else could while she answered sternly, "The wall may be down, but I sense that some of Ingrid's magic remains."_

 _"Yeah… leaving this town has never been simple," she then added as she reached out to touch the invisible barrier, until her touch made it possible for her and the others to see she was right, then Emma turned around to look between the two sisters and Kristoff, then finally the others with them too. "And Ingrid? She didn't change things. She wanted to be here alone with you and me. She wanted to make Storybrooke her ice castle, and clearly she wanted to protect it."_

 _"So how do we get back home?" Anna asked her once again out of worry, longing to return to Arendelle._

 _The oldest sister looked at her in her own concern as she quietly replied, "Walking wouldn't get us there anyway. We're in a different realm."_

 _Emma began to think of ways that could help them while she responded, "We need to find a portal. Or magic beans… or something."_

 _"Okay… now I'm lost," Kristoff said upon feeling confused, having never heard of magic beans that could open up a portal to anywhere before._

 _"Well… then, let's get one of those things," the Princess from Arendelle anxiously answered the Savior. "We have to hurry."_

 _However, Elsa motioned for her sister to calm down with her hands as she apprehensively replied, "No… we don't need to rush. We need to be careful. Arendelle will still be there while we figure this out."_

 _Anna shrugged her head as she contradicted her sister, "It might not."_

 _"Uh… Did we forget to tell her?" she then questioned with a gasp upon turning to Kristoff again in surprise._

 _"A lot of stuff was going on," the Ice Master sternly responded as he looked back at her._

 _The Queen looked between them as she asked nervously, "Tell me what?"_

 _The Princess answered her in frustration, "Arendelle's been conquered… By Hans and his twelve brothers."_

 _"Emma… we need to find a way back," Elsa suddenly said again in worry upon understanding her sister's urgency as she turned around to look again at Emma. "Now."_

 _"We'll do our best," the Savior assuredly replied to their friends from another kingdom._

Mary Margaret spoke up confidently as she responded, "We'll find a way to get you home and we won't give up until we do. Have hope."

Emma smiled as she looked between her new friends and her loved ones and positively added, "We always find a way."

In the meantime, Killian stood back behind everyone else in silence while he had been listening to their conversation, until all of a sudden, he began to feel the Dark One's grip around his heart again and felt Gold calling him back to his shop. So, while everyone was focused on those from Arendelle, the pirate Captain silently took several steps back, then entered the woods again so he could return to town. Unfortunately, no one even noticed he had slipped away again like Killian's done multiple times upon being beckoned.

A short time later, within Gold's Pawnshop…

When Hook once again walked into his enemy's shop, Gold was standing behind one of the other counters within the room as he waited for the man under his control to arrive. The pirate glared at him, then watched worryingly as the villain again reached inside his satchel to pull out his heart, then raised it out between them and began to squeeze it just enough to elicit a painful cry from his puppet. Killian felt like he was about to collapse to his knees as he groaned and yet he struggled to remain standing tall, while he reached up to lay his hand over his chest upon feeling like his heart was on fire.

"So, Captain…" the true villain began as he glared coldly at the man before him, while maintaining his pressure over his enemy's heart. "Was Elsa successful in pulling down the ice wall at the town line then?"

 _"She did," Killian weakly answered him. "But… They didn't leave. The Snow Queen mucked up the border. Once you cross, there's no c… coming back."_

 _He couldn't help but gasp painfully once more when the Crocodile gripped his heart tighter, then the Dark One darkly replied in disappointment, "If only the Snow Queen had succeeded… Everything would be much simpler."_

 _Then at last, Gold finally released his grasp and when Hook lifted his head again to glare at him in return, he smugly responded with a soft voice, "Yes. Perfect cover for your exit. But everybody survived. Sorry for the inconvenience."_

 _"What about our friends from Arendelle?" the older man continued to question him._

 _"Well… they're still searching for a portal back," the Captain continued to answer him._

 _Rumple retorted crossly, "Well, that is a problem. Can't have that Anna running around town."_

He then looked down upon remembering back to his confrontation with her years ago in the Enchanted Forest while he spoke again sternly saying, "The Savior and the others are all very much aware of most of my deceptions. I couldn't care less if she were to reveal to them I can't be trusted should she learn I'm here in this town as well. However…"

 _"She knows… doesn't she?" Killian then cunningly inquired, upon reading the Dark One before he could explain any further. "She knows what you were doing… cleaving yourself from the dagger so you can leave with your power. Emma told me Belle confessed about knowing Anna."_

 _"Still… quite the supposition," Gold replied with a shrug._

 _Hook continued to glare at him while he asked again, "Why else would you care? Anna's a danger to you. You can't have your blissfully ignorant wife…"_

 _The villain interrupted, "Lose either her bliss or ignorance."_

 _"Watch Anna," he then commanded of his puppet. "Make sure she comes nowhere near this shop."_

 _"But if I had the choice…" Killian began to state again, until he was abruptly cut off._

 _His enemy retorted cruelly, "Well, you don't. Your usefulness was unexpectedly extended. But tonight, when the stars in the sky align with the stars in the Sorcerer's hat, I will finally do what I should have done so many years ago. I will crush your heart."_

 _The pirate questioned him again angrily, "And while I'm out doing your dirty work, what are you gonna do?"_

 _"I'm simply gonna wake my wife and prepare her for my greatest gift," the Crocodile responded with a chuckle and he looked down at the sleeping woman close by, then turned back to face Hook until the villain trying to be a hero left his shop by his command. "She's gonna have the life she always wanted."_

 _Once Killian was gone to go out and do as he was ordered to do, Rumple looked at his wife once again, then moved out from behind the counter and bent down beside her bed so he could wake her at last. The Dark One reached down to tenderly caress her cheek and upon doing so, she slowly began to awaken, but before she could all the way, he swiftly magicked a tray of food for her upon the stool at the head of her bed._

 _"Whoa," she said in surprise upon the food being the first thing she saw once her eyes and mind became clear, then she looked up at her husband once he stood up again. "Breakfast in bed, huh?"_

 _Gold knelt down again beside her as he answered, "I have a much bigger surprise coming for you. I think it's about time we had a proper honeymoon. How would you like to see a magical city called New York?"_

 _When she simply smiled at him giddily, the man who loved her continued, "So… after breakfast, pack a suitcase. It's time for you to see the world."_

The beauty finally began to eat as she watched Rumplestiltskin continue to pack some of their things, having no idea he had already packed a number of his own things while everyone was trapped under the curse. As he worked, Belle felt relieved to see that the Spell of Shattered Sight had been broken and believed that her husband had something to do with Emma and Elsa succeeding in defeating the Snow Queen as well. However, her fear that he had also been deceiving her in regards to what happened between him, Emma, and Killian lingered too, and finally she feared she didn't really know who she could believe anymore.

Once she finished eating, Gold magicked her dirty dishes and tray away, then his wife rose from the bed and began to dig out a few more suitcases from the back room so she could begin to pack like he requested of her despite what she was feeling, as she tried not to let Rumple see her concern. Then, he leaned in to kiss her lips and told her he was going out for a bit before he left his shop to leave her to her own work.

As the evening approached, the Dark One and Hook once again followed the walking broom from his shop and not much to Gold's surprise… back to the Sorcerer's mansion after the true villain had ordered the pirate Captain to join him about an hour's away from his end, when Rumplestiltskin would finally take Killian's heart in hand and crush it to free himself from the tether of his dagger.

 _"You may have got the best of me this time, Dark One, but I promise you… in the next life, it won't be so pleasant for you," Captain Hook darkly said to his Crocodile at last, upon following behind the Dark One in reluctance upon being under his control._

 _"Well then… given my immortality, you'll have quite the wait amongst the fire and brimstone," Gold snidely replied to him with a laugh, as they approached the door upon walking up the steps just outside, hoping that this broom was leading them to a portal to Arendelle so he could help to return the Queen and her sister home before the Princess could reveal his secret._

 _The villain then forced Killian in front of him and reached up to grab hold of his shoulder so he could enter inside, using the pirate as his conductor to be able to do so, then once they were inside, Hook muttered, "If I really am to die, at least give me all the information. Whose house is this?"_

 _Gold kept his eyes on the magical broomstick after it stopped in the center of the library while he responded, "A powerful sorcerer. He brought the Snow Queen from Arendelle to this world, which means his magic is strong enough to move between that world and ours. There's a portal around here somewhere. We simply need to find it."_

 _"There," he then stated again smugly, as a magical door colored blue with golden crocuses, containing a portal to Elsa's and Anna's kingdom on the other side of it, suddenly appeared before them when the broom summoned it to them._

"It really is a wonder," the Dark One then whispered, as Killian clenched his jaw in worry for Emma once she were to discover he had gone back on his word to be a survivor for her, and in fear upon feeling the brink of his death approaching.

His enemy then turned back to look at the pirate again as he ordered, "Now… there's one more thing I need you to do for me before you join me one last time to meet your demise. I need you to return to wherever the Savior and those from Arendelle are currently, so you can let them know where they can find their portal home. Don't worry about trying to convince them of anything. All you have to do is stand there and look adoringly at the woman you love. Now that shouldn't be too hard for you. Although… I don't doubt you've already begun to feel your love for her dwindle a bit, since your heart's been removed from your chest. Haven't you, pirate?"

The Captain looked at him wearily while he answered, "You know it to be true, as you surely know of the effects of being without a heart better than most… since Cora revealed she had removed her heart to avoid feeling love both for you, as well as for her own daughter."

"Go…" Rumplestiltskin then snarled, as he glared darkly at Hook upon his retort and commanded him to leave, to do like he asked. "And once you find the Savior, just leave the talking to me. It's best I give you no room to show anymore defiance in your final hour. And then… you're to meet me within the clock tower. Night will surely have fallen by then. See you soon, dearie."

Inside Granny's Diner…

Emma sat with Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, and Ruby in one of the booths towards the back as they talked and drank hot cocoas with cinnamon while they waited for Mary Margaret to return with David and their son, and for Killian, Regina, Henry, and Robin to join them as well so they could all discuss possible ways of getting their friends from Arendelle home.

Ruby was about to offer them her magic bean, until Emma suddenly turned towards the door upon hearing the bells above it jingle, and she was happy to see Killian arrived first, despite her having left him a few messages that went unanswered while he had been busy working with the Dark One unbeknownst to her or anyone else.

 _"Swan," he then softly called out to her, beckoning her to join him up at the bar. "Come celebrate. For I may not be the Savior, but I've just saved the day."_

 _For a moment, Emma looked up at him suspiciously upon sensing not only the coldness within his voice, but also the strangeness in his words as well, yet when she got up so she could join him, she looked between her friends as she spoke ominously saying, "Hang on. Don't get your hopes up yet."_

 _Once he was standing at the bar, he motioned to Granny for a few cups, then quickly poured himself and Emma a drink of rum from his flask as the Savior joined him, while she moved around to stand in front of him and questioned, "Okay… What exactly are we celebrating?"_

 _"The portal to Arendelle," Killian continued, as he raised one of the cups out to her for her to take, though little did she know it was really the Dark One speaking through him, while Gold stood within the clock tower looking out its window in the direction of Granny's with Killian's heart in hand. "I found it. So, bottoms up."_

 _"You… found a portal?" she asked him out of disbelief, then together they drank the rum he poured for them before setting the cups back down on the counter._

 _While Hook looked at her with the disdain he felt towards the Crocodile, Gold replied for him, "Well… I found Gold, and he told me where to locate one. A door in the ballroom of that lakeside mansion. Yes… It appears that our Rumplestiltskin has turned over a new leaf."_

The Savior looked into his darkened eyes skeptically as she responded sternly, "You'll forgive me, but I hardly trust a word Gold says right now. And I can't believe you do either."

"I didn't at first, but then I saw the portal for myself," the Captain answered her, while Ruby, Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff rose from the booth so they could rejoin Emma and Killian upon hearing him mention that he believed he had found those from Arendelle a way home. "It was a blue door with golden crocuses adorning it. Quite the wonder."

"Crocuses!" Anna happily exclaimed, as she immediately looked between her sister and her fiancé. "Oh… Arendelle Crocuses! Elsa… Kristoff… We're going to get to go home after all!"

 _However, Emma still felt unsure, so she looked over at the man she was falling in love with again and then asked, "You sure we can trust him?"_

 _The true villain replied through Killian once more as he continued, "Positive. He gave me a long winded explanation about a… portal. About how it brought the, uh… Snow Queen into this land… Which I don't recall. But the important thing is… it works. All they have to do is walk through it."_

 _"Then we should go," the Savior finally responded as she pushed her doubts aside enough to trust in him like she has since he had begun to become the hero she's seen him as for some time now._

 _"Brilliant," Hook strangely answered her. "You do that. I, alas… bruised myself during the curse. Really need to get it seen to."_

 _It was then that Killian started to leave as he stepped past the woman he loved and between the others surrounding him aloofly, without any kind of emotion on his face or in his eyes, until Emma swiftly reached out to stop him by his shoulder, then reached up to lay her hand gently over his right cheek in order to get him to look into her eyes while she asked worryingly, "Hey, Killian… What's wrong? You're acting strange."_

 _However, just as she feared, he smiled down at her and replied plainly, "Nothing. I'm fine."_

Killian at last leaned down to kiss her while still trapped under the Dark One's complete control before he started to leave again, but just like Emma had felt when he kissed her inside the sheriff's station as the curse was about to fall, the Savior felt that something was still dreadfully wrong with him upon feeling the same hopelessness and despair… even defeat.

 _"See you around… love," he then uttered with coldness in his eyes and started once again to walk past her, but then all of a sudden, Killian swiftly reached up to grab hold of her arm tightly without looking over at her, as his hand and arm shook while he strained to maintain his grasp until he couldn't any longer._

"Forgi… forgive me," the man who loved her pleaded, then abruptly he ran from the diner upon feeling the Dark One begin to squeeze his heart in order to remind him once again who was in complete control of him, then commanded he come to him immediately.

Once the pirate Captain was gone, as he and Anna stared after him in confusion, Kristoff questioned, "Was that weird? I mean… did anyone else sense something strange about whatever that was just now?"

Anna looked back at her own love as she responded in agreement, "You're right. I mean… And I don't know him or anything, but…"

"Emma?" Ruby then spoke worryingly upon seeing the look of worry and confusion on the Savior's face while Emma stared away from them upon struggling to understand what happened, and Anna immediately refrained from talking further. "You sensed something's wrong with him… didn't you? What is it?"

"I don't… I don't know," she fearfully answered her, then finally lifted her head to look between her friends, now including Granny too as she stood behind the bar in front of them. "I have never known Killian to act like this. The only time I can think of seeing someone acting so… erratically, and so terrified like this… was just before…"

All of a sudden, Emma immediately spun around and ran from the diner, then froze once she stepped outside so she could look in all directions for any sign of Killian, only to find that he had already disappeared. Tears began to fall from her eyes as she raised her hands over her mouth in order to try to stifle her sudden sobs she couldn't fully keep inside. Ruby, Elsa and Anna, Kristoff, and Granny all followed her out in concern for the Savior upon seeing her unexpectedly break down.

Immediately, Elsa laid her hands over Emma's arms while she questioned her with concern, "What is it, Emma? What did you just remember? Who were you talking about?"

The Savior quickly wiped the tears in her eyes away as she looked back at her, then angrily replied, "Graham. I was talking about Graham."

"No!" Ruby then uttered out of worry upon finally piecing together what Emma was trying to explain to them. "You don't think… Gold's taken Killian's heart. And he's been controlling him this whole time."

"Ruby… I need you to track Killian for me again," Emma urgently pleaded with her, as those from Arendelle looked at each other in confusion again. "Please… please tell me you still have his scent."

The girl who was part wolf attempted to smell the pirate through all the rest of the scents within the air surrounding her, then she shook her head while she responded sadly, "I'm afraid I… that I can't. There's just too many… But I can run back up to his room to get something of his, unless you have something on you?"

However, Emma glanced down the street and suddenly looked up at the sign above Gold's shop, then she said darkly, "No… We can confront the bastard himself."

Without any further hesitation, the Savior started running down the street to the pawnshop as quickly as she could, where she hoped she would find Killian with the monster she now knew possessed her pirate's heart, while Ruby and their friends from Arendelle followed right behind her, still feeling confused.

"Killian!" Emma immediately shouted out for him once she and the others all ran inside the shop, yet saw no one standing within the main room. "Gold! If you're in here…!"

"Emma?" Belle nervously questioned when she then stepped out from the back room upon hearing her friend shouting out for the men they loved.

The Savior swiftly rushed up to her and took hold of her by her shoulders while she asked urgently, "Belle… Where's Gold? Please… we have to find him, now!"

However, the beauty shook her head as she answered her worryingly, "Well... he isn't here. And neither is Killian. What going on, Emma? What's wrong?"

"Gold's in possession of Killian's heart," Emma angrily retorted. "Killian's acting just as terrified and erratic as Graham did just before Regina crushed his heart. And Graham was forced to do things against his will under her control, which you know. Your husband must have ripped out Killian's heart and he's been controlling Killian for… I don't know how long. And I could tell from the fear and pain I saw in Killian's eyes a few minutes ago, that Gold's about to do something terrible, or will possibly force Killian to do it."

"How is that even possible?" Anna questioned in horror upon listening to this woman explain to another about hearts being ripped out of people's chest and someone close to the Savior being controlled as if he was some kind of puppet on strings.

Ruby looked at her again as she whispered, "It's a long story. We'll explain later."

The Princess nodded, as Belle walked over to where she had set down her purse and pulled out what she believed to be the real dagger, then she replied despondently, "I can't believe Rumple would do this after everything. But… I can't deny that he's been deceiving me about something any longer. And that something doesn't feel right. I didn't want to believe it. If you're right, then… then he won't come when I call him here."

"Dark One… I command you to appear before me," the beauty commanded, then waited fearfully as she looked around her in the hope that her husband would poof in at any moment to prove to Emma and to her that all of this was a mistake. "Dark One? Rumplestiltskin!"

"Wait… what?" Anna then uttered in shock, upon hearing that the evil wizard she confronted years ago to try to help her sister was there in Storybrooke. "Rumplestiltskin? He's here? He's completely evil."

Belle shook her head while she responded, "Not completely evil. But everything you told me earlier, Emma… was true. I'm so sorry that I didn't believe you. And that I misjudged Killian so abhorrently. I was talking with Rumple on the phone minutes before you came in here. He didn't tell me where he was, but I could have sworn I heard the sounds of gears clanking in the background."

It swiftly dawned on Emma where Gold might be as she looked at her friend in realization, then she answered her, "The clock tower. Where else would there be gears loud enough to be heard over the phone. It has to be where they are. Thank you, Belle."

"I'm coming with you," the beast's wife brusquely replied as she quickly grabbed her coat to pull it on, while she followed Emma and the others outside.

"Emma?" Mary Margaret then called out to her daughter when Emma suddenly ran out from within Gold's, as she, David, and Archie had been talking a few feet away from the shop before Emma's and the others' sudden appearance interrupted them, then Emma took off running again, this time towards the library. "What's going on? Is everything all right?"

Ruby shook her head as she motioned for them to follow them and responded, "Things aren't all right."

Meanwhile, inside the clock tower…

Once Killian arrived per Gold's command after he fled from Granny's, he reluctantly climbed the metal stairwell to meet up with the Crocodile who waited for him with a smug grin on his face, until his smugness momentarily faded as Rumplestiltskin spoke darkly saying, "I've grown tired of your continued defiance, pirate. You may have tried to warn the Savior of what I was about to do, but even if she were to figure it out, she won't be able to stop me now."

 _"When the stars on the hat align with those in the sky, we shall begin," he haughtily continued while he stood in front of the man he was about to kill with the crushing of his heart._

 _"You mean I shall end," Hook angrily retorted as he glared back at his oldest enemy to face him one last time without fear. "Let's not start mincing our words now."_

 _The Dark One answered him again snidely, "Oh, how brave. I half expected you to crumble at the precipice of your demise."_

 _Killian replied callously, "I'm not the one who's a coward."_

 _"Well then… you'll enjoy watching this coward crush your heart," the Crocodile gleefully responded, as he summoned Killian's heart into the palm of his hand again and raised it in front of his eyes, looking between it and the Captain standing in front of him with pleasure over what was about to happen._

 _Then, Gold raised his hand and waved it over the roof to open its trapped door as the machinery clanked and creaked, so they could look up into the night sky at the stars now shining down above them in order to begin the spell that would soon cleave him from the Dark One dagger at last, after all the years he'd been bound to his tether._

 _He waved his dagger over the box to summon the Sorcerer's hat within it once more, then carefully set the blade down on a crate on the opposite side of him from where Killian continued to stand still against his will as he watched on, and finally the true villain lifted the hat into the air high above their heads using his power to do so, until all of the magic he had collected from the Apprentice, Zelena, and from the fairies suddenly burst out from within it and filled the room with great energy and light._

 _"It's time," the Dark One then maliciously stated again and stepped directly beneath the power to allow it to fulfill its design._

 _However, the doorway to enter inside the clock tower suddenly opened as Emma rushed inside the room, followed closely by a number of the heroes who at last had managed to discover his true intentions, and she looked up at Killian fearfully upon seeing his heart within the Crocodile's grasp just as she was afraid of, then shouted out, "Gold! Stop!"_

 _Her sudden appearance caused the spell to momentarily cease when Gold was interrupted, then he looked down on them coldly while he answered, "I'm sorry. I can't. I've waited too long for this. And I'm too close."_

"Ah… I wouldn't do that if I were you, Miss Swan," he sinisterly warned the Savior upon seeing her raise her hands above her to strike out against him to try to save the man she suddenly knew in that moment that she loved, despite being unable to admit it to anyone, especially to him. "Attempt to strike out against me, Savior… and I will crush your pirate's heart before you even have time to blink."

In order to prove his threat, he then began to squeeze the precious red and blackened organ from the Captain's centuries of villainy, causing Killian to collapse to his knees as he cried out in anguish by the sudden pressure around his heart. Gold only continued to tighten his grip to make his oldest enemy suffer more and more without killing him outright, until Emma swiftly shouted out for him to stop when she finally complied.

"Why the hell are you doing this?" she asked Gold as she slowly lowered her hands, yet not all the way in case she saw a chance to attack, while Belle quietly stepped inside the room through the others surrounding their Savior, then remained hidden behind the clanking gears to listen in on the horror taking place. "Because Hook blackmailed you? Because he tried to kill you while under the Snow Queen's spell?"

The true villain laughed cruelly as he sneered at the pirate, who looked away from everyone out of shame of his actions, and then Gold haughtily replied, "It's for none of those reasons at all, Savior. Although, I suppose you could add those to a long list of reasons why I shall at last kill Hook… with great pleasure."

When Killian lowered his head, he noticed the dagger still lying on the crate a few feet away from him despite the Dark One standing there between him and the blade. However, there was a thin path for him to get to it if he acted fast while Gold was momentarily distracted by those he loved below him.

So, despite great risk to himself, knowing he would die either way if he failed, the pirate suddenly lunged forward to grab for the Dark One dagger, just as Gold immediately understood what he was trying to do, then swiftly waved his free hand to thrust Killian into the air, into the metal railing before them with such great force, that he broke through it and crashed against the far wall high above the lower level of the tower, before he finally fell all the way to floor at Emma's feet. Emma screamed out in horror while the other women there with her gasped, and everyone could only stare down at the severely wounded man now in front of them in shock upon what they had just witnessed.

The Savior immediately knelt down above Killian and did whatever she could do to try to help him by laying her hands over the worst of his injuries in order to help stifle his blood while she wept, although there wasn't much she really could do for him, until the Dark One was stopped. David and Mary Margaret also knelt beside them so they could help their daughter, as the Prince carefully began to look over his friend's injuries from the vicious attack. Upon doing so, he saw blood was spilling out from a few severe wounds, that Hook had numerous broken bones, but worst of all… they could see that a piece of the metal railing was protruding from Killian's back all the way through his stomach on his right side. So, the sheriff alongside his daughter quickly pulled out his cell phone and called for an ambulance to come out to the clock tower as soon as possible.

The Dark One appeared again at the edge of the broken railing with Hook's still glowing heart in hand and looked down on them, while he spoke cruelly saying, "Worry not, Miss Swan… It would appear your precious pirate is still alive. At least for the moment. But I suggest you allow me to finish my spell so I can cleave myself from my dagger at last, so it will no longer hold power of me. Now you know what I can do. Say goodbye to your love while you can, dearie… whether he's conscious enough to hear you or not."

However, what he and everyone else failed to see, was that in the moment Gold attacked the pirate, Killian still managed to grab hold of his dagger and to keep his hold. So when he fell to the floor far beneath the villain, he took the blade down with him. But once he landed, the dagger was knocked from his hand as it glided across the floor until it stopped, just within Belle's reach.

 _Gold stepped back under the hat's power beaming down on him and was about to cast the spell once more so he could continue with the ritual while he stated darkly, "Well… maybe not everything has went to plan. But this next part… I'm really gonna enjoy."_

Killian gasped out in pain once the beast began to squeeze his heart, then Emma stood at last and stepped back far enough away to unleash her wrath against the villain in one final attempt to save her love, despite Gold's earlier threat to crush Killian's heart. However, Gold almost immediately found that he strangely couldn't do so any longer.

 _"I don't understand," the Dark One growled in confusion. "Why can't I…?"_

 _"Because I commanded you not to," Belle crossly responded, as she suddenly appeared behind him after she had picked up the dagger from where it had fallen, and climbed up the stairwell to confront her husband at last despite her grief upon losing him to the darkness once again. "Drop the heart."_

 _When Rumple did like he was ordered to, as he released the precious organ over the edge, the Savior immediately raised her hands higher to catch the heart gently, then the beauty looked up at her husband again while she continued, "And now? Now, you can take us to the town line. Because we need to be alone for what comes next."_

And with her command, Gold poofed them away from the clock tower. Emma swiftly handed Killian's heart over to her father to care for and then she knelt down over the man she loved once more while she looked down on him through her tears pouring uncontrollably down her face.

Miraculously, Killian was still conscious, but only just and sadly he was only aware of his pain. He couldn't see or hear the woman he loved leaning over him, whispering to him to try to bring him around and to assure him he was freed from Gold's power over him at last, or even that he would be alright.

At last, she spoke to him as she whispered fearfully, "Please… please don't leave me. I need you. That night… the night I told you I couldn't lose you too, you promised me you were a survivor, Killian."

"Emma, his heart…" David worryingly said, as he looked down at the organ within his hands while its beating slowed and its glow began to fade. "He's dying."

When he suddenly began to struggle to breathe, the Savior took Killian's heart again into her hands as she willed him to live. And moments after she did, light magic extraordinarily emanated from her hands, as the blackness within his heart swiftly dispelled into the air until it vanished, and nothing but a pure red glow even brighter than before remained. Emma then laid her free hand over Killian's body to try to heal him upon only just discovering her ability to do so. She wept in relief and with joy when Killian's breathing eased at last when some of his injuries slowly healed.

"You really are a survivor," Emma then whispered to him again and leaned in to tenderly kiss his cheek, while the sirens from the ambulance sounded in the distance.


	65. Chapter 65

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Sixty-Five

At the town line…

 _Once the Dark One's magic transported them to where the beauty had commanded her husband to take them, Gold looked at her with fear as he questioned, "Belle… what are you doing?_

 _Belle kept the real dagger raised out between them firmly within her hand and motioned for him to turn his body towards the edge of town while she sadly, yet harshly replied, "Finally facing the truth."_

 _"No… please put the dagger down and let me explain," the villain desperately pleaded with her to try to get the woman he loved to hear him out and to understand._

 _"No!" she curtly retorted and gripped his blade even tighter than before, then continued on as her voice broke while she spoke. "It's my turn to talk. I… I finally realized that all the signs I'd been seeing were correct."_

He shook his head as he responded, "What I've done…"

However, the beauty interrupted angrily, "What you've done was you hurt Killian just like Emma said you did. And not because he tried to blackmail you, but so you could crush his heart in order to cleave yourself from this dagger. I was there, Rumple. I heard everything. And you took great pleasure in almost killing Killian tonight. As I'm sure you probably did in ripping his heart out of his chest and in trying to harm Emma too. Killian's my friend, as is Emma. And you hurt them! But what's even worse… you promised me and your own son that you were going to try to be a better man. You lied to me when you gave me a dagger that was a fake and I… I accused Killian of being the real villain in order to try to defend you to Emma when she told me the truth."

"Please… try to remember all the good I've done for you too," her husband beseeched her. "I did try to change. For you and for Bae. I did all of this so you and I could be happy. So we could finally have a fresh start… in a new life away from Storybrooke. I've saved you from the hands of other villains. I've protected you. I have traded great power to save you. Like I gave up that gauntlet once to save you from Maleficent, Cruella, and Ursula. When I saved you the first time. Do you remember?"

"Tell me the truth…" Belle then started to order him once again, as she pushed the Dark One back a little further towards the town line. "Did you really give up that gauntlet to save me from those witches back then? Did you really give up some of your precious power, or was that all a lie too?"

Rumple bowed his head in shame, then summoned the gauntlet from his shop into his hands to reveal it to her, and cried as he finally answered her, "It wasn't at first. But then… I returned to confront the villainesses again to take back my gauntlet. And to threaten them so they would never harm you again."

 _Belle reached out with her free hand to take the powerful artifact away from him, then she looked into his eyes despondently, as tears fell from her own while she replied, "You'd never give up power for me, Rumple. You never have. You never will."_

 _"Y… Y… you don't understand," her husband brokenly responded again as he started towards her, until she pushed him back even further._

 _"No," she angrily answered him, demanding that he stay back from her. "Your true love is your power."_

 _And then, Gold admitted, "I like the power. But there's nothing wrong with power. Not when it means that… That I… That we… That we can have it all."_

 _The beauty at last broke down as she sobbed, then she whispered, "I just wanted you. I wanted to be chosen, not… I tried to be everything for you, Rumple. But I wasn't. And I… I lost my way trying to help you find yourself. Not anymore."_

 _"Please, Belle…" the Dark One begged her once again, then stepped back until he was just barely touching the inside of the line with the back of his heals when she forced him back even more. "I… I… I'll make it up to you. I… I… I've changed once before. I can do it again."_

 _"You've never changed," Belle curtly replied again._

 _However, her husband attempted to reach out to touch her cheek while he responded softly, "Please."_

 _She only backed away from him as she cried, "No! It's too late. Once I… I saw the man behind the beast. Now there's only a beast. Rumplestiltskin… I command you… To leave Storybrooke."_

 _"Belle, no…" Gold pleaded again. "Please. I won't be able to come back."_

 _"I know," the beauty answered him when her voice broke even more, as it pained her to lose the man she still loved despite his darkness, yet knew she had to let him go._

 _He fought against the pull from his dagger to obey her command as he replied, "I… I… I don't want to lose you."_

 _Belle looked at him fearfully as she responded, "You already have."_

 _"Belle, please…" the villain cried as well, then at last stepped across the town line and suddenly collapsed against the paved road beneath his feet to his knees when he lost his ability to remain standing without his cane on account of his bad leg, then waved his hand in front of him to try to reach for her once he couldn't see her any longer, despite her still standing there as she sobbed. "I'm afraid. Belle! Belle! No! Belle! Belle, please!"_

Meanwhile, within the woods…

Once the Snow Queen's curse was ended and they celebrated a little longer with their family and friends in town, Regina and Henry picked up Roland from the convent for Robin after she awoke the children despite the fairies all still missing, then at last they made their way into the woods to return to the Merry Men's camp in order to check on Robin and the rest of his men to make sure they were all alright. The former Evil Queen and her son were both relieved as soon as they saw the archer laughing and celebrating with John, Will, Friar Tuck, and the others as well, just like they had been doing.

However, the moment that he turned his head around and saw Henry, but more importantly… Regina, Robin immediately ran towards the woman he loved and pulled her swiftly into his arms, then kissed her passionately, as she kissed him in return. Henry and Roland stood by in silence as they smiled, while Robin's men cheered.

For the rest the day and evening they celebrated their victory once the men unburied their weapons, then set up their camps all over again to settle in. They cooked an extravagant meal once they roasted a few animals they hunted in the woods on spits, and made a large bonfire once night fell. Regina used her magic to light the pyre.

And then, once the Merry Men began to grow dunk on ale, wine, rum, and practically any other kind of alcohol they had collected from the Rabbit Hole or Granny's, Regina, Robin, and their two children walked further into the woods so they could break away from the men's drunken revelries. Roland eventually fell asleep in his father's lap as Robin held him, and that was when Henry decided it was time to return to town so he could see his other mother, his grandparents, and Killian too.

He pulled out his phone to text Emma that he was on his way back, but then he noticed that he had multiple messages from her, as well as from his grandparents as well, including a few texts. However, once he finished reading them, then listened to the first voicemail left to him from David, the twelve year old looked up again at his adopted mother as his face fell.

"Henry… what is it?" Regina asked him in concern, once she immediately saw the worry in his eyes. "What's wrong?"

Her son replied sadly, "It's Hook… Mom, Grandpa, Grandma… They all say he's in the hospital."

She and Robin looked at him in surprise until the archer questioned, "But how?"

"No one's said," the teenager sternly responded, then finally stood up so he could start walking back into town, as did Regina and Robin too, while the father picked his son up into his arms to carry him back to their camp so he could give him to Little John to look after the boy for him for a little while. "But Grandma says Emma's really scared for him."

"Let's go then," Regina answered, then once Roland was taken care of, the Queen poofed them right to the hospital.


	66. Chapter 66

Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter Sixty-Six

Hours later, across town in Storybrooke General Hospital…

Inside one of the smaller rooms just down the hall from where Mary Margaret had given birth to Neal, Kristoff had been admitted so the wound in his shoulder could be treated as well as the small gash on the back of his head from when Anna had struck him with the glass bottle she found hers and her sister's mother's letter in. Kristoff initially protested against it, but because they had come in with Hook, Anna refused to let him go untreated any longer. The Princess kept apologizing to him over and over for doing so, but once she and Elsa explained how they had defeated the Snow Queen, the Ice Master told Anna he was glad she had done so, not just because she protected him from being stupid under Ingrid's spell, but because if she hadn't have broken the bottle, she never would have found the letter which saved them all. Plus… Kristoff assured her he was fine by reminding her that he has a tough skull.

Thankfully, one of the hospital's other doctors was able to treat him and patch him up within an hour, then the rest of the evening he stayed in bed to take it easy while the drugs he'd been given to help with his pain remained in his system. Anna and Elsa stayed with him to keep him company.

Meanwhile, Dr. Whale was busy trying to save Hook once the ambulance rushed him in after the night's tragic events. Emma rode with the man she loved to the hospital, while everyone else followed behind them on foot and together they all waited out in the hallway not far from the operating room.

Eventually, Emma became impatient and tired of just waiting around, feeling like she was going to go crazy waiting for any word on Killian. So she asked her parents to come find her if Whale ever came out to update them on his condition, then she walked down to the room where their friends from Arendelle were so she could check in on them.

"Emma," Elsa whispered when she turned upon the Savior entering the room, then she wrapped her arms gently around her to embrace her and to offer her comfort, knowing just how distraught her friend was after what they all saw had happened to Killian. "I'm so… so sorry."

"It's okay," the younger woman responded to her to try to get Elsa to pull back and to release her, even though things were really far from being okay right now. "It's… I'm fine. I mean… I'm not really, but I'm trying to be. Killian needs me to be strong right now and I don't want to break down again in front of him, or anyone else."

The Queen of Arendelle, Anna, and Kristoff each kept their eyes on the Savior as Elsa asked, "Has there been any word yet? You healed some of his wounds, so Hook should be alright. Won't he?"

Emma sat down on the bottom of the bed, then she answered despondently, "I may have healed some of them, but not the worst of them. My power's not strong enough yet. Whale's been in there with Killian for hours, just to remove that metal in his body. Not to mention his mental and emotional state, as well as his exhaustion because of all he's suffered through."

She paused a moment as she struggled to push the images of him nearly dying within her arms out of her head, then she quickly reached up to wipe the tears beginning to fall from her eyes down her cheeks again, and her voice broke when she continued shamefully, "Killian's been acting strange since our date… and especially the night he came running inside the mansion to make sure I was alright when I lost control of my powers. And again at the station when he came to say goodbye. He was saying goodbye because he believed Gold was going to crush his heart. I knew something awful was wrong with him every time, but I didn't know just how awful. I didn't fight hard enough to protect him because I was much too consumed in my own troubles… with the Snow Queen, and with everything else to really see what was wrong."

"That isn't true, Emma," Mary Margaret then replied to her as she entered the room behind her and the sisters after she knocked, having heard her daughter's fear that she had failed to help the man she loved. "You comforted him when he needed you to because you knew when he was in trouble. And you got him to open up to you the best he could despite being under Gold's control. Killian knows how much you care about him."

"Honestly, I don't think he does," the Savior defeatedly answered her, as her mother reached down to lay her hands over her daughter's. "I can see his uncertainty in his eyes. And he doesn't believe he's worthy of me, but he's wrong. And I didn't think I knew how much I really cared about him either, until tonight even though I should have known it without a doubt the moment Killian told me he traded his ship for me. I think I might have known, but I was too afraid to admit it. Especially to myself and to him. I love him, Mom. And now I may not ever get the chance to tell him I love him because he could still die."

The older woman pulled her daughter up to her feet and immediately embraced her while she held her comfortingly in her arms, as their friends looked down out of remorse, then Mary Margaret whispered, "Oh, baby… You said it yourself… Killian's a survivor and he showed you so tonight when he lunged for that dagger against Gold's control over him. It helped save him even though it cost him dearly. His strength and your love for him allowed you summon your ability to heal him enough to keep him alive until the ambulance could arrive. Long enough to get him here."

Emma finally pulled away from her and smiled at her sadly, then she replied, "I hope so."

She then turned to her friends again and quickly wiped her tears away like before as she spoke again upon feeling embarrassed saying, "I'm sorry. I came in here to see how you were all doing. Especially you, Kristoff. How are you feeling?"

"Under the circumstances, I'm doing great," Anna's fiancé responded and smiled at her with gratitude. "Thank you."

"Kristoff's right," Anna continued, as she looked to the woman she barely knew, but was grateful to because she had taken care of her sister. "We're so sorry about what's happened. We owe the man you love a lot. Elsa's told us about him and about all he's done for her. He also found us a way home. Even if it was with Rumplestiltskin's help."

Elsa then said quickly, "But Killian's the one who deserves all of our gratitude. We don't know why Gold found that portal for us, but we don't really care either. Please tell Killian for us… when he gets better of course, that we're so grateful for everything he's done for me since I arrived here. He didn't just help to find the portal, but he protected me from danger when the whole town was against me for thinking I had hurt Ruby."

Emma looked at her again while she answered, "I have a feeling there's more than that too. I mean… I know Gold threatened me to get Killian to do some of the things he did and I don't doubt he probably threatened the rest of us too. Killian's protected us all before, despite the risks to himself. That's who he is."

"I'm sure you're right," the Queen sadly replied. "He has ours, and Arendelle's undying gratitude. As do all of you. But unfortunately, it's time we finally return home to our own kingdom. We've been away too long and we have to overthrow a Prince who thinks he can rule Arendelle better than we can. He's going to have lots to answer for, just like Gold. Wherever he is now."

"Belle told us she forced him across the town line, where's he's been rendered powerless and just like everyone else in the world," Mary Margaret proudly responded. "Believe me, it's the perfect punishment for him after all he's done."

"It is!" Anna exclaimed. "After seeing just how much he loved his power when I met him… You can bet it is."

Kristoff then sat up in the bed and started to lift himself away from it so he could stand again as he said sternly, "I am more than ready to go home. I owe Hans more than just the black eye Anna gave him the first time he tried to take over Arendelle."

When Anna and Elsa helped him, David entered the room as he looked at his wife and daughter while he stated, "Whale's just come out. He has an update on Hook."

"I'm coming," Emma immediately answered him, and walked past him to head back to the room where Killian was being cared for, then everyone else followed after her so they could hear how their friend was doing as well.

"Whale… how is he?" the Savior then asked him once she made it back and saw the doctor already out in the hallway beyond Killian's rom waiting for her. "How's Killian?"

The man who's true identity was Dr. Frankenstein, looked between everyone now surrounding him, including Regina, Robin, and Henry once they also arrived to join them as well, then he stopped his eyes on Emma and with remorse, he replied, "As I'm sure you can imagine, his condition's grave. Even with how much you healed him. The piece of metal he was impaled was dangerous to pull out without causing him to bleed out far more than is good for the body to lose. But I did finally manage to with help from another doctor here. She's in with him now, making sure he's settled in about as comfortably as we can make him before you go in to see him. As for the wound made by the metal… it's grave, but I've succeeded in stopping the bleeding for now and patched him up as best that I could. Unless you choose to heal him the rest of the way, he's definitely going to be here in the hospital for a good long while. Definitely longer than he was back when he was hit by that car a year ago. Most of the other wounds you weren't able to heal, Miss Swan… were fairly easy to stitch up in comparison and I foresee no problems from them. As for his heart… Well, honestly it's a miracle that it's in such good condition after it was nearly crushed. It's beating normally. But I'll give that back to you to do with as you see fit."

Upon being shocked from hearing just how badly his friend had been hurt, especially when he watched as Whale handed the Savior back Killian's heart in a small chest like the ones she'd seen down in Regina's vault upon magicking one to her, Robin suddenly uttered, "My God! How… and when did all this happen?"

"It was all Gold," Emma darkly replied to him, then turned back to the doctor again and motioned for him for him to continue.

"Well… I've pretty much said everything," Whale went on. "I think he's going to be alright. Especially if you do heal him, at least a little at a time. If you can't do so all together that is. However, another miraculous thing is… He's awake. I put him under anesthesia during his surgery, but he didn't stay under long afterwards. Despite how exhausted I can see he is and as I've been told he must be after all he's been through. He's refusing to try to sleep even now. But something tells me there's a reason why maybe he can't. Oh… and he isn't talking, or barely looking at anything. Getting him to sleep and talking again… I'm afraid that would be more your department than mine, Miss Swan."

He then glanced over at Archie as he added, "Or possibly yours of course, Dr. Hopper."

The doctor looked back at Emma and continued, "It's obvious he's deeply troubled about something."

"I'll talk to him," Emma at last responded to him despondently, as she started to walk past him to head into Killian's room to see him. "I'll do whatever I can to help him the rest of the way. Thank you, Dr. Whale."

"This is partly my fault," Henry then mumbled sadly a few minutes later, while he watched as his mom sat down in the chair at Killian's bedside closest to him, and tenderly reached out to caress his cheek in order to try to get their wounded friend to look at her. "Killian being hurt, I mean. I might have added to it."

Regina shook her as she looked down at him sympathetically, then gently patted his back while she answered, "I'm sure that isn't true, Henry."

However, the twelve year old sighed in frustration when he finally looked away from Emma and the man he'd come to see as a father figure much like he had Robin, and turned to face his adopted mother as well as everyone else, then replied sullenly, "Yes it is. You don't understand. I haven't finished telling you everything that happened while I was under the Snow Queen's curse. I told you I escaped the office, but I didn't say how or why. Killian came to break me out. I'm not sure why, but he had some kind of potion, or magic of sorts to break through your protection spell, Mom. What he didn't know was that I had poured a bunch of marbles all over the floor in front of the door so that when he got in, he slipped on them and fell. Really hard."

"That would explain the strange bruising patterns I saw across all of Hook's back and his left side," Victor callously responded without meaning to upset Henry any further, and Regina immediately turned her to glare at him coldly for making her son feel worse about hurting their friend, then Whale bowed his head before he finally just walked off to return to some of his other patients.

"I didn't want to hurt him, but under the spell I remember thinking it was funny," the boy remorsefully continued again. "Like it was in Home Alone when Macaulay Culkin defends himself from the bad guys."

"Henry, even though you got that idea from one of your movies, this still isn't your fault," his mother assuredly answered him, as she pulled him around to face her when she reached out to take him by his shoulders. "The Snow Queen cursed us all. We couldn't help but act as we did."

The twelve year looked into her eyes sternly as he replied, "I'm not that makes me feel any better."

Ruby then spoke as well saying, "Killian was under the curse as well. It isn't like he had any choice either."

"And I'm sure he's feeling bad about trying to kidnap me," Henry retorted again. "At least I think that's what he was doing. He said he was going to take me someplace safe."

"Right to Gold," the former Evil Queen then responded when something suddenly dawned on her, as everyone turned their eyes back on her looking to her to explain. "Think about it. Hook had a potion to use on the door in order break through my protection spell. Who else would he have gotten if from other than Gold. But that isn't what I just realized. Hook's heart wasn't in his chest because it was in Gold's possession when the curse fell over us. Which means… he wouldn't have become affected by it. Trust me… his heart would have needed to be in place in order for him to act a certain way that's different than the man he's become. Gold had to have commanded Hook to kidnap you, Henry. That bastard!"

Archie sighed sadly and then he answered, "That might have explained the despairing look I saw in his eyes and the strange things he said to me when he bumped into me the other day. Gold's control I mean. Poor Killian."

However, Ruby quickly replied, "Gold did have something to do with that then, but I don't think it was because he already had Killian's heart at that point yet. When Killian went to the mansion to try to save Emma from Gold's plans for her, after she asked Gold for help to rid her of her power, I saw that Gold had Killian bound to the gates with a water hose. When I arrived to help Killian, Gold knocked me out cold and when I came to, Killian told me that Gold had only done what he did to help him, and me too. I didn't really believe Killian and now I know why. I wish I had questioned him further. That would have been the perfect opportunity for Gold to rip out his heart."

"I'm just still having trouble accepting that someone doing so is even possible," Kristoff responded in disbelief. "It's… awful. And disturbing."

"We'll try to explain all of this to Emma later," Mary Margaret at last spoke again. "That is if Killian doesn't do so himself. But for now, we should probably head home and try to get some rest. It's really late… or early. Or we should at least leave here so that Emma can have all the time she needs alone to talk with him without worrying about us out here and interrupting her. In the morning, Elsa… David and I will bring you to the portal so you, Anna, and Kristoff can finally return home."

Elsa smiled at her as she answered sincerely, "Thank you."

David also added, "Of course."

Then, the Prince wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders to guide her towards the doors so they could leave, like Regina did for Henry, and Robin did for Regina. Anna and Kristoff slowly walked together hand in hand, as Elsa followed alongside them. However, Archie and Ruby turned back towards Hook's room to look in on him and Emma, then they both moved away to return to the chairs within the waiting room so they could be there for their friends in case they should need them.

Inside Killian's room, at his bedside…

The Savior tenderly laid her hand over Killian's face, being careful not to disturb the tube running along his face beneath his nose, and began to caress his cheek in hope of getting him to lift his eyes so he would look up at her upon seeing him staring off in the distance at nothing at all. Or at the very least, to make him even aware of her presence. But unfortunately, her hope was dashed when the man she loved didn't even blink at her touch. It was clear he's been swallowed whole by his guilt she knew was plaguing him and that he's allowed himself to fall into the back of his mind where it was going to take a lot more than her caressing his cheeks to bring him back to her. So, Emma released him long enough so she could pull Killian's heart from within the strongbox lying on her lap, and then as gently as she could, the Savior pushed the glowing blackened free organ back inside his chest where it truly belonged, so at last he could regain all of his feelings of love and emotions she now understood were missing.

When she finished, she then continued to caress his face and to run her fingers gently through his disheveled hair, while she also began to speak to him as well, hoping that maybe her voice might soothe him a little like she knew it could under other circumstances not so nearly as difficult as these were.

"Killian… I'm here," the Savior sadly, yet lovingly began to whisper to him, as she leaned down enough so that she was nearly eye level with him. "I am right here. And you are too. Because… Well, because you did something so incredible tonight, that no one else would have been able to do. Even though he was in possession of your heart, you still fought Gold's control over you as much as you could, especially when you lunged for his dagger. You were hurt, and I'm sure that you knew you would be for defying him. But you did it anyways. And you made it possible for us to save you. You survived."

"And now… I need you to live," she desperately pleaded with him after she had paused a moment upon feeling herself beginning to break down all over again and wiped away some of the tears falling down her cheeks, then Emma finally reached down to take his hand into her own while she continued to cry as she looked into his eyes. "Please tell me, or show me you can hear me. I'm sorry that I was too busy to try to help you because I was too busy being afraid of myself, or helping Elsa to find Anna and to stop the Snow Queen. I'm so sorry I… that I ignored all the signs of just how much you were really hurting and were in trouble. I promise… whatever you might have done… no matter what Gold made you do, whether it was because he commanded you through your heart, or you did so just to protect me and everyone else… It doesn't matter anymore. I don't care. I'm not going anywhere. Almost really losing you, and possibly still losing you even now frightens me, but I'm not going to push you away. Especially not now. I lo… I care about you too much to let you go. So please, Killian… Please come back to me."

At last, the man she loved shifted his head weakly against the pillows behind him, and raised his eyes the best he could against his sheer exhaustion so he could see into hers upon hearing his Savior speaking to him and him feeling her touch despite the heartbreaking desolation in which he'd fallen in, then Emma smiled down on him sadly while she spoke softly saying, "There you are. I knew you could hear me."

Then, through his own tears of grief and shame, Killian whispered, "You can't… You should… shouldn't care… about me, Emma. I'm not… I'm not the man you… you thought I was. The kind of man… you deserve. I've… done thin… things…"

"Shhh…" the woman he loved shushed him as he reached over to lay her hand over his lips to silence him from putting himself down, then returned her hand again to the side of his face so he could continue to feel her gentle touch while she lovingly caressed him. "Don't do that. Your guilt is only trying to tear you apart and right now, it's winning. But I've forgiven you, Killian. I meant every word I said before. And those things you've done, you did it all for me. Just like everything you've ever done, has always been for me. You told me so yourself."

"Not this time," he imploringly continued, while he struggled to breathe through his anguish from the Dark One's assault, in order to try to make her understand why she shouldn't care about him any longer. "I thought… I did… what I did for you. When I asked Gold… for my hand back. But I… I was selfish. I did… I did terrible things. And not just because… Gold had my heart. I trapped Zelena and… an innocent man in… inside that hat. Before he… he ripped out my heart. He got inside my head. Twisted my fears so I would believe… my hand was changing me back into the vill… the villain I used… used to be. I fell for his lies. So I made a deal… a terrible deal with him to get him to… take it back again. And I was a coward because… I couldn't admit the truth to you. I was afraid you would hate… that you would hate me and I just… I couldn't bear it. After he stole… my heart, I wanted to confess. I tried. The most… he would allow me to. But it wasn't enough. I almost… lost you, Emma. And the fairies… Their disappearance was my doing. Gold needed more power… because Elsa saved you. So, he ordered me… I trapped the fairies inside the hat too. I almost destroyed… any chance you had to stop the Snow Queen. And I also ruined your chances… to stop her curse."

When he finally cut himself off, after Emma had listened to his confessions, she continued to cry silently while she replied with sincerity, "Gold ruined our chances. That wasn't you, Killian. He forced you to pull the fairies inside that hat. And the things that were you… You still did them out of love for me, even if they were bad choices. Like I told you the night I found you on the beach staring out at the ocean, I understand. All of it. You were a villain once because you've lived a life… a tragic life that I can't even begin to imagine having to survive. And yet you did, so now you're desperate to hold onto everything and everyone that gives you the peace and happiness you've been searching for… yearning for your whole life. And I'm sure you've only just begun to tell me about your past, but you can do that over time. However much time you need. And I'll listen… I'll understand why you've done those things, and I will still continue to care about you and be with you despite it all. Which I do, Killian. I… I care about you. To me you're not a villain any longer. Just like you're not to my parents, nor to anyone else here in Storybrooke. You're a hero, as you have been for a long time. I need you understand that. And I need you to get better so you can get out of this bed. Gold's gone now, where he can't hurt you any longer. And I've given you back your heart, but you've been hurt… That Crocodile almost killed you tonight and I thought… I thought I was going to lose you. Whale's impressed you survived actually. And I may have been able to heal you a little, but my healing power is still a gift I need time and practice to develop. Unless you want me to go get Regina to heal you now the rest of the way, I can. However, you also still need to get some much needed sleep."

Killian at last allowed himself to offer the woman he loved a small smile, then he whispered again, "Please don't bother Regina. I prefer to heal on my own, until I can feel that power… coming only from you. I love you, Swan. Thank you…"

And before he could finish, Killian closed his eyes when his exhaustion at last overpowered his drive to stay awake, as his head lulled to his side against the pillow so he could finally sleep upon feeling even the smallest amount of relief like he did thanks to Emma's love for him, as well as her being there so close to him to comfort him. The Savior smiled as she kept her eyes trained on him and continued to caress his cheek and the side of his face until he was asleep, then she stayed by his side, with her hand over his own for the rest of the night.

The next morning…

Emma, Mary Margaret, David, Henry, Ruby, and Granny, all walked with those from Arendelle to guide them to the mansion, where Killian had told Emma Gold had found the portal back to their kingdom. Archie chose to continue to stay at the hospital with Killian to look after him for Emma while she said goodbye to their new friends, for which Emma was very grateful.

 _"This place is amazing," Henry excitedly exclaimed once they all entered inside and looked all around at the manor's interiors, then upon seeing a blue door standing on its own within the center of a ballroom through cracked doors, the teenager started to walk on ahead of them to check it out, as he opened the doors wide and everyone else followed him inside the ballroom and library as well. "Mom… I'll uh… be right back."_

 _"Hey, kid… wait," his birth mother swiftly called out to him while they walked after him._

 _Upon seeing the door for herself, Mary Margaret studied it, then turned to her daughter as she stated, "Well, Emma… I think this is it."_

 _And with even more enthusiasm than with what Henry felt upon seeing the flowers painted on the blue door, Anna suddenly cried, "Crocuses! Arendelle crocuses! Just like Hook said. Elsa, we're almost home."_

 _"Wait… maybe I should open it," the Savior nervously responded as she studied the door as well upon pulling the Princess back from it a little. "Magic can be unpredictable. Especially since it was Gold who found this door."_

 _"So this is it," Elsa then replied, as she reached out to take Emma's hand into her own to say goodbye and smiled._

 _Emma smiled at her in return as she answered almost sadly, "Appears so."_

 _The Princess from Arendelle looked between Emma and her family, as well as their new friends and said in gratitude, "Thank you for taking such good care of my sister."_

 _"It's kind of what we do," the Savior replied to her and smiled over at her in return._

 _"It's our pleasure," Mary Margaret happily responded, then let out a sigh as she looked between the three of them. "Now… don't you all have a kingdom to go save?"_

 _Anna looked between her sister and her fiancé as she answered eagerly, "We sure do. I hope Hans isn't too comfortable on that throne 'cause I'm gonna knock him right off the minute we get back."_

 _However, Kristoff stepped forward as he looked at the woman he loved, and cut in by saying, "And the second minute we're back… maybe we could get married? Just a thought."_

 _While Anna went around the room to hug each of their friends before returning to stand beside Kristoff, Elsa took both of Emma's hands into her own and looked into her eyes with her sincerest gratitude as she whispered, "Emma, thank you for everything. You've done so much. I could never repay you."_

 _Emma only nodded while she continued to smile at her, then Elsa wrapped her arms around her dear friend to hug her, until she finally turned to look between her sister and the Ice Master again as she stated firmly, "It's time."_

 _"Please… thank Hook for us again as well," she immediately added, as both Anna and Kristoff nodded in agreement._

At last, the Savior stepped forward towards the door and opened it, to reveal the portal within its entryway. Everyone momentarily stared at it in awe, until Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff then passed through the portal so they could leave Storybrooke, and finally return home to Arendelle where their own people were waiting for them to restore peace to their kingdom.

Six days later, on the day of Anna's and Kristoff's wedding…

The day of their Princess' wedding to the love of her life had finally come, and the people of Arendelle couldn't be happier. Upon Anna's and Kristoff's return with Elsa, their true Queen of their kingdom, they immediately overthrew Prince Hans of the Southern Isles and imprisoned him for a time, as well as the number of his surviving brothers who didn't flee in time, within the castle's dungeons. They then freed the Captain of their Guard and the rest of the soldiers who survived their battle against the Princes the night they were captured, and had Captain Black Beard arrested for a time as well, until Elsa at last banished him from Arendelle. But not before having his ship frozen and shrunken within a magical bottle found among the former King's and Queen's things, so that he would never be able to use the Jolly Roger to harm anyone like he had done to Anna and Kristoff, ever again.

Inside their castle's library, Anna stood in her wedding gown alongside her sister, as she and Elsa looked in front of them at an easel where the Princess mounted a beautiful portrait painted of their mother, along with their Aunt Ingrid and Aunt Helga back when the kingdom actually knew and loved them before Ingrid and Helga were ever forgotten. But now… they were finally remembered again and Arendelle's people celebrated all three women's memories proudly.

 _"Isn't it beautiful?" Anna somberly asked her sister upon seeing the sadness in her eyes upon looking on at their aunt they most recently lost. "I found it hidden in the east wing."_

 _Elsa just nodded, and then, when she looked over at the younger woman to study her beauty in their mother's wedding gown, Anna suddenly looked at her worryingly as she questioned, "What? Is it my hair? You're right. I should have worn the braids."_

 _However, the Queen interrupted her swiftly as she replied, "Anna… you look absolutely perfect."_

 _"I wouldn't say perfect," the younger woman blushingly responded, and glanced down at her knuckles on the back of her right hand before she began to pull on her mother's long white gloves as well. "Did you see these bruises?"_

 _"Have you seen Hans' eye?" Elsa proudly answered her._

 _"Yeah," Anna happily replied as well and grinned. "Totally worth it. Okay. Let's get this wedding on the road. I mean 'on the aisle."_

 _"Anna… why did you do it?" the Queen then asked her the nagging question that had been on the back of her mind for so long now at last. "Why did you postpone your whole wedding, just to find out the truth?"_

 _Her sister just let out a gentle chuckle and then she responded sincerely, "Elsa… You're my sister. I couldn't walk down this aisle, unless you were as happy as I was."_

 _Elsa shook her head while she smiled back at her sister and then she answered her lovingly, "Anna, I'm… Very happy."_

 _And finally, the two sisters embraced once more as they laughed together while they prepared themselves to leave the room so Princess Anna could marry her one true love in front of all their family, friends, and all of the people of their kingdom. The gates were wide open and it was a beautiful warm summer day._

 _"What is that amazing smell?" Anna then asked once they pulled apart again upon catching the smell of something wonderful in the air._

 _"Chocolate!" both sisters suddenly exclaimed giddily in unison and laughed together again._

 _Queen Elsa at last looked before her at her sister one more time, before they left the room as she asked happily, "You ready?"_

 _The Princess smiled back at her while she responded assuredly, "Ready."_

Together, they walked arm in arm from the library and when they arrived inside the Great Hall, Kristoff was standing at the end of the long aisle with a smile upon his face the moment he saw Anna step into the room in her mother's wedding gown, looking even more beautiful than she was on the day they first met. He was wearing a long, blue royal suit coat and a black neck tie, with dark pants and freshly polished black boots. If no one knew Kristoff, no one would have ever been able to tell that he wasn't a prince. And to Anna, he was as handsome as ever.

"You look… wow!" Kristoff began to say once she reached him, feeling completely at a loss for words. "I mean… you look so…"

"So beautiful?" she asked happily to help him finish. "Gorgeous, amazing… or glamorous?"

Kristoff chuckled as he took her hands within his, then answered, "Yes… to all of the above and more. I am so happy this day has finally come. I was beginning to fear that it never would."

Anna smiled as she replied, "Me too. I am so in love with you."

"And I am so in love with you," Kristoff responded back.

"The two of you are supposed to be married before you get to that part," Elsa happily cut in before they began to kiss, then together they looked to the priest before them and listened as the ceremony commenced, then turned to one another.

Anna and Kristoff looked deeply into each other's eyes while the priest continued and as the small choir sang softly above them, just like they did at Elsa's coronation, the bride and groom shared their vows. Then when they were announced they were now husband and wife, the two newlyweds finally leaned in to kiss as everyone began to cheer. Trumpets sounded and music began to play as Elsa once again pulled her sister in for a huge hug and together the two laughed with joy. Then, the Queen turned to Kristoff as she held out her hand to him in order to congratulate him too. But as he took it, he quickly pulled her into his arms and hugged her as well. Elsa melted into the embrace, no longer feeling uncomfortable around the man of her sister's dreams.

The celebration kicked off as Elsa used her ice magic to decorate the great hall with flakes of snow and bright, beautiful lights made of ice and everyone was so happy, as they began to dance, while Olaf, Sven, Oaken and all of his family, as well as Grandpabbie and each of the rock trolls who all had come to see their boy finally marry, danced around them.

Once again, back in Storybrooke…

A little over three weeks passed by before Whale finally discharged the pirate Captain from the hospital, so long as Hook would assure him, and especially Emma that he would continue to rest once he left. Not unexpectedly, the days and nights were difficult for Killian. Not only because of the discomfort and pain he felt from his multiple injuries left unhealed despite Emma's plea to let her try again, or to bring Regina in to help him even though Emma knew in her heart that Killian's refusal to be healed was because he still believed he deserved to suffer further for all he's done, but as if the pain wasn't bad enough, he kept having nightmares as well.

Nightmares from seeing his dark reflection within the Snow Queen's mirror, seeing himself become the true villain that he used to be again as though his hand really had been cursed, being forced up against the gate to watch as Emma was nearly pulled inside the Sorcerer's hat and sometimes even seeing her become so, watching and feeling as the Dark One ripped his heart from his chest, then took control of him, seeing himself pulling all of those he had trapped within the hat all over again, and finally… being forced to kneel powerless at Gold's feet inside the clock tower as Gold squeezed his heart, until he was suddenly thrust backward through the railing and dropped to the floor at Emma's feet while she screamed.

Emma knew all about them because she pleaded with Killian to tell her everything that's happened since the night of their first date, including when it was exactly that Gold had stolen his heart. And Killian did. Slowly, but in time he revealed to her it had been on the night he came to try to save her from Gold's plans to entrap her inside the Sorcerer's hat, just after Ruby ran up to see him bound to the gates outside of the mansion. The same night she really felt just how strange he was acting, yet ignored her instincts and failed to help him when he needed her to.

At last, the hour had come when Emma was on her way to come pick him up from the hospital. So while he waited for her to arrive, Killian sat up on the side of his bed and struggled to pull on his brace and clothes without any help despite the pain throughout his body. Archie had come a short time earlier to check in on him. The Savior had asked him to, but the truth was that the doctor already had been looking in on him from time to time, upon growing concerned for the man he eventually came to discover to be his friend.

Upon seeing from the corners of his eyes that the doctor was looking at him worryingly while he was struggling to buckle the straps for his brace over his left shoulder, Killian paused a moment as he looked over at Archie and said quietly, "You know, Cricket… you really needn't be here. And you don't have to feel like you owe it to me to come look in on me so often."

Archie nodded, and he answered him, "I… I know. It's just that… Well, after you and I ran into each other that day outside of Gold's shop, I knew something was wrong. And after learning about everything that's happened… Well, it's my duty as a psychiatrist to try to help everyone in this town if I can. And that includes you, Hook. Despite our past together."

"That's good of you to be so forgiving," the pirate sadly replied, then looked away again to continue working and finally managed to finish securing the brace in place, keeping his head down to avoid looking into the man's eyes. "Like everyone else around here. Only… I'm not so sure I'm deserving of everyone's forgiveness."

"Hook, I… Killian, that is… I would like you to come see me if you ever feel the need to talk," the doctor then responded with remorse, as he gripped the umbrella in his hands even tighter and suddenly remembered Killian being there to protect him and Marco from being hurt worse under the effects of the curse, and looked back up at the Captain. "My door is always open to you. And I… I want to thank you for protecting me when we were all under the Snow Queen's spell. For protecting Geppetto from doing something worse than what he already regrets too."

However, Killian shook his head as he answered, "It was nothing. Not that your life was nothing, but… What I mean to say is, therapy isn't for me. Trust me… you wouldn't want to see inside my head. But thank you. I assure you, I'll be fine. I always am."

Archie was about to say something more, until Emma finally arrived as she entered the room and looked between him and Killian while she walked over to the man she loved. And she did love him, but despite having finally been able to admit the truth to herself and even to her mother she did, she still couldn't quite bring herself to admit it to Killian. She still had too many walls built up that Killian had been fighting to bring down for so long now. And a big part of her was afraid. Just afraid that if she admitted she loved him and then she lost him like she almost did weeks ago, she might never recover.

When she finally began to help Killian to button up his shirt, then to pull on his vest and jacket, Emma stated to him apologetically, "I'm sorry I'm a little late. I had some more business at Henry's school to take care of. The Lost Boys… they acted out again."

"I can't say, I'm surprised at all," the Captain replied in regard to the boys he had lived among for centuries in Neverland, then he watched as her fingers roamed along his chest while she continued to help him with his clothes, until he finally looked up at her and smiled. "It's all right, Swan. But you really didn't have to come here to pick me up. I'm plenty capable of walking."

"Yes, but if I left you to do that on your own, then you wouldn't head back to your room at Granny's so you can continue to get your rest like you've promised me you would," the Savior sternly responded, and then smiled back at him once she finished helping him. "Come on… are you finally ready to get out of here?"

Killian nodded, then he looked between her and Archie while he whispered, "Aye. The doctor here and I, were just talking about the future. Something that might very well be a possibility is all."

Archie smiled as he looked over at his friend, then he answered, "That's very good to hear indeed. I'll leave you two to talk and so you can get out here. Goodbye."

"Thank you, Archie," Emma sincerely replied to him once he started to walk to the door to leave. "For everything."

"It's thanks to Killian that I'm even still around to be of help," he honestly responded. "It was the least I could do for him."

Once he was gone, Emma looked back at Killian again in confusion as she asked, "What did he mean… that he's still around because of you?"

However, the pirate looked away from her uncomfortably, before he then answered plainly, "Like I told him… it was nothing."

"Nope… You promised me you weren't going to hide things so much from me," the Savior replied to him, as she tenderly laid her hand beneath his chin in order to get him to look up at her again. "I understand you needing to take the things from your past slow, but it sounds to me like this was a good thing you've done. I want to hear about it. Please, Killian."

"All right," Killian finally responded to her out of reluctance. "As you know, I wasn't ever effected under the Snow Queen's curse like I made you believe I was. Because you expected me to be and Gold ordered me not to reveal the truth to you that he had my heart. I had to give you a reason for my being there inside his shop when you and Elsa walked in. And that was the only way I could think of."

Emma nodded in understanding, then she smiled at him and lovingly answered, "And still… despite Gold having his control over you, you managed to give me some damn good advice that made it possible for us to rid ourselves of those yellow ribbons. But go on…"

Hook complied as he continued, "While I was out trying to find Henry, I… I ran across the Cricket and Geppetto as both men were fighting each other. For all I knew, the old man might have killed Archie had I not stepped in when I had. I stopped them from hurting one another, then went on to do like Gold ordered me to do."

"And you still can't see yourself as a hero," she sadly replied with a shake of her head in disbelief, then she leaned in close so she could kiss him.

"I uh… Oh, I'm so sorry for interrupting," Belle suddenly uttered embarrassingly upon walking in on them sharing a tender moment together and expressing their love, having entered their room without knocking when she saw the door was left open. "I'll leave so you…"

However, Emma immediately called back to her, "It's all right, Belle. Please… please come in. It's so good to see you. I'm so sorry about Gold. I can only imagine how much you must be hurting. How are you doing? Is there something we can help you with?"

The beauty reluctantly walked further into the room again and stood before her friends as she responded, "I'm alright. Or at least… I will be. It's just going to take some time."

"I'm so sorry that you had to be the one who stopped him, Belle," Killian sincerely answered her with remorse, as well as with gratitude. "But thank you. You saved my life. If ever you need anything…"

"Thank you," Belle sadly replied to him as well. "But you're not the one who needs to apologize. I do. That's why I've come. I've wanted to for days, but… I've been having a really hard time with losing Rumple after everything we've been through together. I feared I might one day, like I thought I had a number of times before. I just didn't expect… But look… that isn't why I'm here. I believe I was trying to apologize. I'm so sorry, Killian. Not only for all the things my husband did to you, especially after he stole your heart, but also for being so blinded by my love and trust in Rumple that I actually thought it was you who hadn't changed as much as you have. And you truly have changed. I'm sorry to you too, Emma. For not believing you when you came to me for help that day in the shop. And for being so harsh against Killian. I wish I could take back those terrible things I said to you."

Emma released her hold on Killian so she could walk over to stand in front of the beauty before her, then suddenly wrapped her arms around Belle to embrace her as she responded, "We understand. And we accept your apology. Or at least… I do."

When the Savior pulled back again so that she and Belle could turn to Hook again, he simply nodded and then answered, "Of course, love. Of course I accept your apology, even though there's no need for it. And I forgive you. Listen… I trapped the fairies, Zelena, and an old man inside the Dark One's hat you're now in possession of. I was hoping you might be able to help me find a way to free them. Even Zelena doesn't deserve that fate. Whatever kind of fate they're all suffering from in there. If they're even alive. Please… if there's anyone who can find a way, it's you."

"Of course I'll help you, Killian," the beauty replied and smiled. "We'll find a way. I can't believe that there isn't one."

"All right… I think it's time we all finally get out of here," Emma at last said again, and helped Killian to stand up from the bed so he'd be able to walk alongside her, then looked back at the man she loved again. "I've got you. We'll take it slow and easy."

The Captain looked into her eyes and smiled, as he whispered, "Thank you, Swan."

Six weeks later, from the night of the Dark One's banishment…

After leaving work one evening, Ursula… daughter of Poseidon, the God of the Seas, and former Sea Witch, hailed for a cab and asked the driver to drop her off at one of the entrances to Central Park. Once she arrived, she walked through the park until she came upon the Alice in Wonderland statue, where she expected to be meeting a former ally, as well as enemy upon receiving a message asking her to come there. However, she wasn't expecting to see another such enemy as well, when she turned only minutes after she walked up to the statue to study its features, and saw Cruella De Vil walking towards her from a different path leading to the statue too.

The moment Cruella saw the Sea Witch standing before her from a few feet away, the villainess who despised dogs, or animals of any kind, looked at her with contempt as she spoke snidely saying, "Oh no… what on earth are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question," Ursula responded in frustration, then raised up the piece of parchment she had received when she saw the other woman holding one that looked similar to her own. "But it looks like you're here for the same reason I am."

"That's right… you've both come to meet with me," Gold suddenly answered from behind them, as he hobbled out with his cane in hand from where he remained hidden from the women until he was ready to reveal himself should they show. "Ursula, and Cruella De Vil."

 _The villainess with white and black hair glared at him as she replied crossly, "No one calls me that here."_

 _The Dark One sneered, "Well… I'm sorry, dearie. But Cruella Feinberg doesn't have quite the same ring."_

"Huh… touché," Cruella responded when she actually agreed with her enemy about something.

 _"So, this is what a man who always wins looks like," the Sea Witch haughtily stated again, as she studied his walk with his cane and his disheveled appearance upon him finally having been rendered powerless._

 _When he turned to look at her again upon hearing the mocking tone in her voice and saw it in her eyes, he ignored it while he answered firmly, "I assure you, Ursula… my situation is only temporary."_

However, Cruella cut in again as she replied cruelly, "She's right. Oh, Dark One… the years have most certainly not been kind to you. You look like a hairy, mangy dog living on the streets because he's been kicked out of his house."

"Not for long," Gold darkly retorted.

 _"Really?" Ursula questioned him again. "How you gonna fix that? Play the lotto?"_

He frustratingly responded, "If you would just let me explain…"

However, he was once again interrupted as the Sea Witch continued, "Just what the hell happened to you?"

"A certain bastard of a one handed pirate who's become nothing more than a love sick puppy dog, a Savior who quite misguidedly loves him, and… my wife," the Dark One coldly answered her.

"Your wife?" Cruella stated again out of disbelief. "The Dark One's actually married?"

Ursula ignored the other villainess, as she looked at Rumple again and asked, "This one handed pirate you say has become a love sick puppy dog… You don't mean the pirate who stole my voice all those years ago?"

Gold grinned haughtily and then he replied, "The very same. Captain Hook. Both he and his beloved Savior need to pay."

"What exactly could they have done to you, that's made you come here looking as you do, and completely powerless?" the dog hater smugly questioned him.

"Come now, darling…" she quickly added when Rumple glared back at her. "We both know that if you had your power, you would have incinerated Ursula and me on the spot. That is unless of course… you've come hoping to reinstate our shaky alliance. And besides… as we all know, there's no magic here in this tragic world."

Ursula studied his face and then smiled coldly as she responded, "You really are here to convince us to work with you again. You've got a lot of nerve."

 _Once again, Cruella asked crossly, "Just… what in hell are you two doing here?"_

 _"Looking to regain our greater glory," the Dark One haughtily answered her. "Or at least I am. A glory I can soon return to you both… if you join me."_

 _"I'm not going anywhere with you," the dog hater curtly replied, then started to walk away from them to leave the park._

 _However, Gold called out to her, "Well, maybe you should."_

 _When she stopped and turned back around to face him, he continued, "Things have changed… Mea culpa. Our last time together was less than ideal. But now? Now our interests align once more. You've lost all you have, and so have we. That's why I'm here. To put an end to having everything taken away."_

 _"Oh… not everything," Cruella retorted again, as she gently began to stroke her fur coat she was wearing and smiled. "This isn't all, either."_

 _"And where are you gonna go with these paltry material possessions?" the villain asked._

 _The dog hater responded confidently, "To get myself some less paltry possessions."_

 _However, Rumple sternly answered, "An empty pursuit. You're gonna end up right back where you started."_

 _"I will never go back to where I started," Cruella darkly replied as she glared back at him._

 _"I can get back everything you've lost and more," the Dark One assuredly responded again._

 _However, still unconvinced, Cruella looked at him suspiciously as she asked, "You know… you talk a good game, Dark One, but can you deliver in a world with no magic where apparently walking is a challenge?"_

 _Gold raised his finger to make a point as he arrogantly answered, "Ah… but there is magic in this world. You just have to know where to look. I know you don't trust me. But the good news is… if you follow me, you won't have to. Aren't you tired of feeling ordinary?"_

"These heroes have corrupted my love and have turned her against me," he continued on again when neither of the women said anything, while they began to think over what Rumplestiltskin had begun to propose.

"You mean… your precious maid?" Ursula snidely questioned as she spoke again at last.

The Dark One glared at her as he replied darkly, "Watch yourself, dearie. I happen to know you've fallen on hard times as well. Both of you have. You Cruella… have lost everything you ever owned in repossession by the FBI after your husband was arrested for embezzlement. I also happen to know, you've had several husbands, who have either left you, or who've mysteriously died just like your mother's dead husbands. You may not be able to kill, but anyone else can for you, and accidents happen. And you, Ursula… are living in a tiny rat infested apartment, and are working at the aquarium in a dead end job you despise, caring for the animals you once swam with. It's been a long six weeks for me. But they most certainly haven't been wasted."

Cruella stated sternly, "I still have my car."

"You really still have that old hunk of junk?" the Sea Witch snidely questioned her.

"I'll have you know… that old hunk of junk is a classic," the other villainess angrily responded to her once again.

 _Gold then spoke in order to gain their attention again by saying, "I'd like to tell you a story. It's about heroes and villains, where the villains always lose."_

 _Ursula looked at him with surprise as she grumbled, "Seems like someone's changed his tune."_

 _"I've learned the rules do apply to me, but also… there's someone who can change those rules," he answered her._

 _"Who?" Poseidon's daughter sternly asked._

 _Rumple tightened his grip on his cane as he replied, "For now… let's call him 'the Author."_

 _The villainess with tentacles retorted again coldly, "Pretentious. I hate him already."_

 _"Then let's go see him," the Dark One smugly answered, as he looked between both women again. "Tell him what we think. Unless… Ursula, you prefer life as a fish food dispenser."_

 _"But if you're coming to us for help, I can assume it won't be easy," she suspiciously replied to him once more. "Who's standing in our way?"_

 _Rumplestiltskin smiled and then responded, "The usual people… The heroes."_

 _At last, Ursula smiled as well, then she answered, "All right. I'm in."_

 _"And so am I," Cruella stated in agreement. "Now then, darling… Where are we going?"_

 _"A quaint little town called Storybrooke," he darkly, yet smugly replied._

The End


	67. Thank You

Thank you to all who have read and have written reviews for my story! I am so grateful for your kindness. I'm deeply honored and I hope to hear from you all again. There will be plenty more stories to come. Best of wishes to you all!

Sincerely,

Genevieve Kelly


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